Nadine,
Wow. Tom's best piece in a very very long time. Excellent, supurb and wonderful. You could even say I like it. :)
We are at war -
Now, 9/11 has set off World War III, and it, too, is defining a new international order.
It's a new kind of war -
9/11 marked the first full-scale battle between a superpower and a small band of super-empowered angry men from the World of Disorder.
America is not the problem, it's the solution -
"The real threat to world stability is not too much American power. It is too little American power." Too little American power will only lead to the World of Disorder expanding.
Here is a point that is not fully appreciated but very true, the stakes are 'the world as we know it' -
If there is just one more 9/11, or if North Korea lobs just one missile our way, it will lead to the end of the open society in America, as we know it, and also constrict globalization. Because we will tighten our borders, triple-check every ship that comes into port and restrict civil liberties as never before, and this will slow the whole global economy.
just in case you missed this point,
in the real world — in the world where your real threat is not American troops crossing your borders but American dollars fleeing from them
And tekboy is worried that Bush is rude and JohnM is worried that I took a cheap shot at the protestors. People aren't clear on reality yet. I am glad that Tom Friedman is now, I hope he keeps it up.
Paul |
