Book Reviewed: World Order by Henry Kissinger

Book Reviewed: World Order by Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger makes a strong argument for world order

If we take a look around the globe; the future looks grim. Islamic terrorism, beheadings in Iraq and Syria; long and arduous engagement of American military in the Middle East; Russian aggression in Ukraine; China's domination in Asia; threat of Ebola in Africa; and the global economy that grew too fast; but economists worry that this is another big bubble which may burst at any time. Are we going to see a much bigger crash than 1929 or 2008? In the face of these threats, Americans are unsure about a peaceful and prosperous world ahead of them. In this book, Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State in The Nixon and Ford administrations reflect on these global problems that are spinning out of control, and discusses passionately from the point of economics, national history, regional politics, geography and religion in trying to understand how we got here and where we can go next.

Different countries/regions had their own versions of world order. Islamic leaders are still oriented toward a division between the Dar al Islam (the Islamic world led by a caliph) and the Dar al Harb (or "house of war"), and the non-Islamic entities (non-believers, infidels) must be subjugated. This is particularly relevant with the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. There is a no effort to reform the faith; and its beliefs and practices are in direct conflict with Western civilization. But China, a communist super power, is highly bent on global domination economically and politically. Its domineering effect in Asian politics is highly visible.

Kissinger does not directly answer the question as how we bring world order, but suggest methods for organizing power-to-power relationships in the global arena. America alone cannot solve all problems of the world but it needs allies. This is clearly evident in Middle East where many Arab nations openly supported air campaign against ISIS to stop it and hopefully defeat it.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton thinks United States is uniquely positioned to lead the world. The enduring strength of armed forces and the resilience of American economy and the leadership it showed in winning the cold war with Soviets is a great example of how we can bring some world order: The threat of nuclear war between United States and Soviet Union was averted by sheer diplomacy.

If the major players use different and largely incompatible methods for organizing the world, then we will continue to have problems. In presence of bipartisan politics in America and in the world of political correctness, it is a challenge to address real issues, but honest dialogue with all global leaders will help rebuild a political consensus to take on the perils.

John Micklethwait, reviewing for New York Times, suggest that "that every member of Congress should be locked in a room with - and forced to read (this book) before taking the oath of office." I am not sure he literally means that but he understands the depth and intensity of this book. I very much enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the current state of affairs in the world.