Obama does well to read Zakaria

OP-ED: "Obama Needs a Better Reading List," by Thomas Frank, Wall Street Journal, 4 June 2008, p. A19.

BOOK REVIEW: "America Dethroned: The Post-American World," by Parag Khanna, Washington Post National Weekly Edition, 2-8 June 2008, p. 39.

Some decent criticism of Zakaria's book from Frank, but he misses the big point: the "rise of the rest" is not to be fought, a key bit of advice to both Obama and "League of democracies" McCain.

Zakaria says, in effect, the "rest" (or my New Core) rise within the liberal trade order of our making. I make the same basic point in Great Powers, albeit with a lot more vehemence, arguing, as I have for some time, that America naturally allies itself with the rising players. Where Zakaria sees a happy outcome to be encouraged, I see a purposeful one that must be exploited, but we see basically the same world: I just see opportunity where he first spots challenge.

So fair for Khanna to say that "Zakaria leaves policymakers to figure out how to rank challenges and restore U.S. legitimacy," especially since that's my primary purpose in Great Powers!

But also fair to point out (for me, that is), that Fareed and I see a world moving more and not less in our favor, if only America does not turn on it mindlessly--the big danger right now among the Dems.

So it's a great thing for Obama to be reading Zakaria.

Franks offers Galbraith's "Predator State" instead--enough said.

Comments

[Tom Mull]

I'm about half way thru "Post American World"--a little further along than Obama it would seem. Good for him. Now someone get him Dr. Tom's two books. =)

[Pierce Wetter]

Fair enough, but on the other hand, I'm not sure I want a Presidential candidate reading a book whose theme seems to be that America is destined to be #2 in everything.

[farhad]

if nationalism,or Americanism as some prefer is not the trend and globalization in a liberal trade is order of the day,why so much worry,about the US power,we will go through globalization like a car washand come out clean.in another word, let the chips fall,where it may.what is good for the ghoose,is good for the gander.But i think,thestradegy goes somthing like this;if in the race to the bottom,we don'thave the cheapest labor,we make it up by militery force,like invadeIraq,and other oil reach countries,so to be able to restore US ligitimacy by controling the rest(new core),if that don't work,we go tocold war in space,and if.....,we.....is that for or against globalization.

[Robert L]

Interestingly enough, what I haven't seen anyone suggest is that Obama include Zakaria and Barnett into his cabinet. Why not TB for VP??

[Louis Heberlein]

I think the candidates for president should watch "The Wizard Of Oz" for insights on the reality they most deal with, the type of players involved, and the lessons they might learn.

The main character is forced into a strange outside world and is preoccupied with getting back to the old secure one.The three main supporting players agree to help return the main character home in exchange for help with their own problems. One is without a brain, one without a heart, and one without courage.

There is a lot of music and background talk that fits today's world too; like: 'If I Only Had A Brain'; and 'Ignore That Fellow Behind The Curtain Who Is Pulling Levers.'

Eventually the three supporting actors realize that by pulling together through crises they actually had the capacity they thought they lacked. The main character realizes at the end that she had the resources to return home, but her mentor tells her this only after she goes through several experiences along the way and solved problems in that strange outside world for the needs of its people,

The presidential candidates should watch it three times. The first to get the story and appreciate the drama like todays TV news and political chatter. The second to realize the characters are only acting to make points and that even the bad characters can be good actors.

The third time they 'might' just see how the actions and insights of the characters could apply to their own situation.

[Tom Mull]

In response to Pierce Wetter's post: I Haven't finished Zakaria's book yet but I don't think that he's indicating that Amaerica wil be #2. Regardless, I see in the "rise of the rest" a Pluralizing of Powers where America will have at best a Plurality of Power and Influence--meaning more than any other individual nation but not Hegemony. =)

[Tom Barnett]

Fareed is diagnosis without much hope--for now. I think he felt he could only accomplish so much in one book, so use this one to shock people out of complacency.

Decent choice.

I think Fareed is gunning for something near the president (he idolizes Kissinger).

I, however, don't feel the same burning (unless I eat Italian too late).

I like being able to move across so many domains with ease, and I like staying married.

[Anonymous]

right. remember, Tom's on the record: Vonne told him anytime he wants to marry his divorce lawyer and move back to DC, it's ok with her.

[Constantina]

Saw Fareed interviewed at the New Yorker Conference 2012- "Stories from the Near Future" held in NYC on May 8 - 9 2008. Video was uploaded on the New Yorker website. Really enjoyed what Fareed said about his book. I plan on getting it this week. I'm glad Obama is reading it. Dr. Barnett said exactly what I was thinking about after watching that video this past Friday. I must be on some sort of Barnett Frequency.

Tickets to the Conference - $2,000 Individual. I only had 999.99 so .. I decided to wait until they had videos online.

Here is the link for Fareed Zakaria. Worth watching this and others. http://www.newyorker.com/online/video/conference/2008/zakaria

[Michael]

Something else to think about, Robert: the Sci-Fi author David Weber once pointed out that academics can make lousy politicians. Not because they're ignorant, but because academic environments tend to be filled with the sorts of petty vendettas and rivalries that are deadly for a seated politician's effectiveness.

I don't know enough academics to be able to judge how vulnerable Barnett would be to this sort of problem, but having to switch to a radically different career would be a pain.