If I say that I will get a raise this year that is a prediction because I am offering an opinion about what will happen in the future.
Right... and if you say that you think you may get a raise this year, that is an opinion about what you think may happen in the future, not a prediction. There is a subtle difference here, do you recognize it?
You talking about sister Soljah is more in the realm of prophecy or prognostication.
Sister Soljah makes predictions, you are merely using more subsets to describe the same thing. Predictions and opinions are two different things, and I have not presented predictions, rather opinions. Certainly a case can be made that my opinion is perceived falsely as a prediction, but I think this boils down to author intent, more than false speculation of the reader, if I had stated that I was making a prediction, then tried to claim I had not made a prediction, that would be a different story... I presented my opinion of what I think will happen, based on other tangibles in play, based on other opinions of other events, based on things that have happened in history, based on my own life experience, philosophy, etc... When I used the words "I think..." it ordained everything that followed, as an opinion, not a prediction, that would have been preceded by, "I predict..." or a statement of defined prognostication.
I don't care about your prediction Dixie you may be right but I don't think there is enough evidence to make a statement like that. Personally I don't think it is likely because the Vietnam analogy is more apropos if we were comparing democratic entities in which subordinates can put pressure on the leadership to change tactics. This is why the US pulled out of Vietnam but the Al-Qaeda leadership doesn't have to contend with this problem.
As I just said, this is not a prediction, it's an opinion. I also stated the same thing you have, with regard to alQaeda leadership, they are much more competent than LBJ in Vietnam, it's what has enabled them to overcome the enormous difference in military strength and maintain relevancy. The point I am making is one of humanity and common sense, at some point, alQaeda will realize this is a losing proposition, and it's not worth the losses they are taking there.... just as America did in Vietnam. You can't simply keep feeding bodies into the buzz-saw indefinitely, with no tangible results or victory in sight, even a radical terrorist is smart enough to figure that out eventually. Al Qaeda has lost far more than we have in Iraq, especially when you consider the ratio in terms of overall forces. Realistically speaking, they are enduring a casualty rate, unlike any we Americans have seen since the Civil War, and at some point, they will break. It's human nature, it has happened throughout history, and it will not change now. You can believe the trash talk and rhetoric from the left, but the truth is, Iraq is al Qaeda's Vietnam.