[ZeitgeistSurfer]

Not so sure it will be hidden in 2004 if things don't rapidly improve.

You might be right. I still believe national security issues will dominate 2004. However, my deepest fear is that the RATs will demagogue this issue and start wining more political battles. Their "solution" can be characterized by "The poison isn't working. More poison!"

[ARCADIA]

I still believe national security issues will dominate 2004.

The biggest national security issue we have is our wrecked economy. By this time next year, congress is going to have to bail out California, and a long list of other states and the attack on Iraq is going to be a distant memory, long replaced by an expensive aftermath and negligible results. It doesn't matter if Al Queda detonates dozens of nukes next year, the key issue is still going to be the economy.