What's ahead for America's war on terrorism and possible war with Iraq? Is there daylight ahead for the economy? Who will emerge as the Democratic front runner in 2003?

Several San Francisco State University experts offer their own predictions, and are available to the media for stories about the new year.

David Fischer, diplomat in residence at SFSU, is a former ambassador who is an expert on intelligence agencies and terrorism. Fischer can be reached at (415) 661-8543 (home) or via e-mail at examb@sfsu.edu.

"War against Iraq will draw a wider coalition than many had expected and will be shorter than most people believed possible. U.S. forces, following an initial jubilant welcome by the Iraqis, get bogged down in the difficulty of keeping warring political factions from using force against one another. Major Kurdish elements threatened a declaration of independence but back down in the face of U.S. and coalition threats. By the end of the year a shaky government has begun the task of reconstruction but continues to complain that promised international donations have not materialized."

Jerry Combs, professor of history, is an authority on American foreign policy. Combs can be reached at (925) 935-2404 (home) or via e-mail at combs@sfsu.edu.

"If the United States invades Iraq without adequate proof from the U.N. inspectors that Saddam Hussein is hiding weapons of mass destruction, it will do irremediable damage to our relations with other nations that are vital to us in the war on terrorism as well as our broader economic, political, cultural, and military interests. If there is real proof that Saddam is hiding weapons of mass destruction, it may be necessary for us to invade Iraq, but it will present us with problems of stability in Iraq, hostility in much of the rest of the Islamic world, and enormous economic costs that the United States will have to bear alone while teetering on the brink of a second dip into recession."

David Tabb, professor of political science, is an authority on national politics and teaches a class on public opinion and politics. Tabb can be reached at (510) 525-0890 (home) or via e-mail at dtabb@sfsu.edu

"With Al Gore deciding not to run, I think that clears the way for Joe Lieberman to emerge as the top choice of the Democrats as the best challenger to Bush."