Year in Review: 2006

As Americans look forward to the promise of a new year, it is important to enter 2007 with a reminder of the events that shaped the world during the past 365 days. It was an interesting year by almost any standard and one cannot ask for much more than to live in interesting times. This article presents the major world events of 2006, in chronological order, as a reminder of what the world has been through, and with the hope of a wonderful new year for all. Events listed here were published by Strategic Forecasting, Inc., a private intelligence company, with original commentary from yours truly.

January: Russia cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine, which in turn prevented the onward movement of the gas to Europe, for three days. The move was, more than anything, a show of force by the Russian government in an effort to show that it had the power and the will to use energy as a weapon. In the Middle East two events were particularly significant. Hamas won the Palestinian elections and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke. Hamas' electoral victory quickly led to isolation by the international community, stressing the new government and eroding popular support as conditions in the Gaza Strip and West Bank deteriorated. Sharon's stroke ushered in new Israeli leader Ehud Olmert, who quickly found himself tested in a grueling war with Hezbollah.

February: Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in European newspapers outraged Muslims across the world and led to riots across the Middle East. In Iraq, the bombing of the Golden Mosque in As Samarra sparked a vicious cycle of sectarian violence that continues to push the country toward all-out civil war.

March: This month marked the third anniversary of the U.S. military presence in Iraq. Many expected the war to be long over by this point and public discontent in the United States was rapidly gaining momentum.