ILE Paper One

In terms of foreign policy, foreign relations and delving deeper into the issue of globalization, Thomas Friedman is as much on the frontlines of these matters as a Soldier is fighting in Afghanistan. His speech from the year 2000 is uncanny in its ability to resonate still today. With the clarity of hindsight, this speech identifies some of the issues that have clearly hindered global policy, global economics and global security in the last decade plus. His argument, even then, that globalization is not a trend but an actual new international system that replaced the Cold War system with new “rules, logic, pressures, incentives, and moving parts” is now an idea that is accepted as fact. Additionally he corrected stated that these new paradigms would, and have, affected every company, country, community across the globe. Friedman’s idea of globalization and the effects of this new system became overexposed shortly after this speech due to the events of 9/11. All companies, countries and communities, arguably none more so than the United States military, were forced into 21st century globalization.

There are four main points in Friedman’s speech. His initial point is the change in the world since the Cold War. The change according to Friedman is the lack of oversight and authority in a globalized world. In the speech he singles out the Berlin Wall as the symbol of the Cold War era. It defines the division between the two nations, United States and the Soviet Union, that were in charge. Similarly, he points out that globalization is defined by its own symbol, the internet. He accurately emphasizes the parallel between the internet and globalization through his Love Bug example. The ability of rouge individuals to harm the infrastr...

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... put against it and the continued pressure that exists today?” The answer that follows optimizes the situation and the areas the U.S. military has and will continue to be involved. The unplugged regions of globalization, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, are havens for the uprising of evil. The tribal run portions of Africa are another great example of the effects of not being “plugged into the system.” The reason these areas of Africa are so ripe with groups of terror now is as a direct correlation to our recent actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The important thing to remember as a professional Soldier is not the area that will house the next uprising. Within the context of globalization, the important thing to remember is the effects of the next uprising on all corners of the globe and the ripples that will come to affect industry, economics, and politics everywhere.