John McCain has taken out his crystal ball and predicted what will happen by the end of his presumptive first term as President and in doing so, he is flying in the face of public opinion.

All of the polling organizations are keeping track of the public’s feelings about the major issue of the day and in most polls, the War in Iraq comes in second to the economy as the most important issue of the time and a majority of Americans what the troop withdrawal to being this summer. In his latest statement, John McCain predicted that the War in Iraq would be over by 2013, just after his first term as President. He also predicts that by the same time, Osama Bin Laden will either be captured or dead, but the Taliban will still be a threat.

He predicts that there will be a small force left in Iraq, but they will not be engaged in combat, which is pretty much what everyone expects to happen, after all that is the agreement we have with South Korea. The difference is the public wants it to happen much sooner, with Iraqis taking on the roll of keeping the peace in their own country. The United States has military bases all over the world from German to South Korea, from Greenland to Italy, from Kyrgyzstan to Japan. And an base in the Middle East would certainly be advantageous, but on a limited, non combat basis. The longer we maintain a large force in Iraq, the more dependent they will be on us. The thing is, if we leave we are accused of running away, if we stay we are imperialists.

He also predicts a turn around in the economy with the years ahead showing substantial growth, a flat tax rate for all taxpayers, more easily accessible health care, independence from our dependence on foreign oil and a more secure Social Security System. McCain also plans to appoint, in his words, scores of judges to the federal courts, including the Supreme Court and secure the southern border of the United States. McCain also wants to increase the size of both the Army and Marines and pressure the Sudan to stop the genocide in Darfur.

In addition to what he plans to do, he expressed what he hopes other countries will accomplish. He wants to see Russia and China work together to get Iran to stop their nuclear development and he wants Pakistan to work with the United States to combat Al Qaeda.

He has set out an ambitious program for his first term as President, if he gets a first term as President. Next, he needs to set out just how he plans to get it accomplished and we will be watching to see all the details. But, the issue of keeping a large contingent in Iraq for up to four years, will not sit well with the public. He does say it could end earlier, but most of the public feel it has already ended and we have done as much as we can.