JM Book Blog
4/23/2008
The World Crisis?
The World Crisis - The Way Forward After Iraq
Kissinger's article The Post-Westphalian World tackles the most important changes in the international system. The nation state as we have come to understand it is changing and new security threat emerge. Naturally, new consensus must be created onto which the new security infrastructure - international institutions and the balance of power - must be constructed. Realism offers a common language to use in building a reciprocally beneficial dialogue in absence of common values.
Brzezinski's article Uniting Our Enemies and Dividing Our Friends offers some harsh, if realistic, analysis:
The World Crisis - The Way Forward After IraqPaperback: 250 pages
Publisher: Constable 2008
ISBN: 978-1-84529-870-8
IR experts on both sides of the Atlantic have got together to write a book that analyses the crisis that the intervention to Iraq has brought about and try to show a way forward. The most interesting articles are from the tough-talking realists Zbigniew Brzezinski, Henry Kissinger and Brent Scowcroft.
Publisher: Constable 2008
ISBN: 978-1-84529-870-8
IR experts on both sides of the Atlantic have got together to write a book that analyses the crisis that the intervention to Iraq has brought about and try to show a way forward. The most interesting articles are from the tough-talking realists Zbigniew Brzezinski, Henry Kissinger and Brent Scowcroft.
Kissinger's article The Post-Westphalian World tackles the most important changes in the international system. The nation state as we have come to understand it is changing and new security threat emerge. Naturally, new consensus must be created onto which the new security infrastructure - international institutions and the balance of power - must be constructed. Realism offers a common language to use in building a reciprocally beneficial dialogue in absence of common values.
Brzezinski's article Uniting Our Enemies and Dividing Our Friends offers some harsh, if realistic, analysis:
"Although the Russians may be drunk with dollars right now and call themselves a great energy world power, they're missing a very important point - they occupy a huge space that is becoming increasingly empty. They're dying. They're getting drunk. Their lives are getting shorter. And they're leaving the Far East." p. 99
Scowcroft has some very important advice to both the US and to Europe:
"But we are in a critical struggle in Afghanistan and if we fail in Afghanistan, NATO is very likely not to survive in any meaningful form. Militarily we are doing reasonably well, but NATO is not fighting at its best." p. 112
All in all, the book is another call for transatlantic unity and multilateral, yet determined diplomacy. New threats are perceived to arise from energy security, global economic degredation, terrorism and Iran.
Second Opinion: Christopher Hirst / The Independent
¶ 4/23/2008 01:35:00 ip.
Second Opinion: Christopher Hirst / The Independent
