Re: News from Atimes Online (fwd)

Friedman wrote: "The new world system is also bipolar, but instead of being 
divided between East and West (as in the Cold War) it is divided between the 
World of Order and the World of Disorder. The World of Order is built on four 
pillars: the United States, European Union-Russia, India and China, along with 
all the smaller powers around them. The World of Disorder comprises failed 
states (such as Liberia), rogue states (Iraq and North Korea), messy states - 
states that are too big to fail but too messy to work (Pakistan, Colombia, 
Indonesia, many Arab and African states) - and finally the terrorist and mafia 
networks that feed off the World of Disorder."

I was struck by this formulation when Friedman first made it.  Of the four 
pillars of 'order', two (Russia and India) are embroiled in messy, seemingly 
interminable conflicts on their borders (perhaps we should say three, if we 
count Israel as basically a part of the US).  Furthermore, their current 
leaders, as well as China's (and for that matter, the US), have hardly made the 
securing of minority and individual rights their touchstone.  Japan, which is 
quite orderly, relatively speaking, is completely forgotten.  The 
semi-peripheral countries where democracy and freedom might be said to have 
made encouraging advances in the last couple of decades--Brazil, South Africa, 
South Korea--are also ignored.

After the February 15 protests, the NY Times made the interesting observation 
that there are now two superpowers in the world--the US and global public 
opinion.  But 'public opinion' also has a geopolitical correlate.  It's cause 
has been taken up by one of the four pillars described above (EU-Russia) and is 
supported as well by the states I've suggested are models of semi-peripheral 
progress.  Meanwhile, the US has 'new Europe' and Israel, and Turkey, if the US 
can afford the bribe (the US also seems to like Pakistan, even though 
Friedman's thrown it into the world of disorder).  I don't see the 'world of 
order' coming together as a stable coalition.

Steven Sherman