While we were away, some very key things emerged in the news and we immediately remembered George Friedman’s timely book: “The Next Decade: Empire and Republic in a Changing World.” • United States and Iran reach an uncomfortable and unpopular
While we were away, some very key things emerged in the news and we immediately remembered George Friedman’s timely book: “The Next Decade: Empire and Republic in a Changing World.”
• United States and Iran reach an uncomfortable and unpopular accommodation regarding Iran’s nuclear abilities.
• Financial crisis in Europe challenges the very core of the European Union.
• Russia re-emerges as a substantial European power, working to reclaim its former Soviet territories. These are current headlines and yet the book was written in 2011. In this book George Friedman (author of “The Next 100 Years”) focuses his highly accurate geopolitical forecasting ability on 2012-2022, and already what he posits has been spot on! He focuses on the position of the United States in the world and what awaits it in the coming years.
According to Friedman, the United States is in an unusual situation where it is not only the most powerful and influential nation in the world, it is at a point where the foundation of the republic is at odds with the nation’s need to manage its unintentional empire (his explanation of how this came to be is very fascinating!).
The United States, he posits, is no longer in an ideological power struggle against a single hegemonic force (the former Soviet Union) and now must work to balance the powers of the various regions of the world, all while working to resolve the world’s and its own economic issues. He reveals all the possible outcomes the United States has in these regions, and gives very clear and objective views on what the likely outcome will be. This book has been a continuous seller in our bookstore and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Ed and Cynthia Justus are the owners of The Bookstore in Hanapepe.
