Interesting posts. I personally go along with the theory that Desmond has infact
saved Charlie by sending him to the looking glass - although by the looks of it he wont be thanking him hehe..
My thinking is that Desmond played an almighty bluff in getting Charlie to go to the looking glass, but, and this is a big, speculative but..
Wouldn't it be fitting if he (Charlie) was due to die in one of the explosions (revealed on the season finale trailers) caused by his own people, but escapes it by being elsewhere - while infact it was Desmond who saw his
own death on the looking glass? Talk about 'saving' two birds with one stone - and I really wouldn't put this one past the writers - "Trading Places" springs to mind here..
Not claiming to have precognitive skills, just going with my gut on this one. Bear in mind (for fans of Trailer Park Boys) that I correctly guessed that Randy was the father of Lucy's baby - not that it counts for much.

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, been on another island but I'm back now - read into that what you will..
LiN
