TheWorldPost This week, the old world order continued to crumble before our eyes. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was in Beijing, once again telling the Chinese to cool it in the South and East China Seas and abide by maritime law. The Chinese told him to mind his own business. Yet another spy scandal erupted between two of the closest post-World War II allies, Germany and the United States. Every day, tension increases between Ukraine and Russia. The powder keg of the Middle East exploded anew. As the Syrian tragedy continued unabated and the self-proclaimed Islamic Caliphate advanced further in Iraq, Hamas and Israel are yet again locked in a deadly battle. A new refugee crisis has arisen -- this time not in far off Africa or Syria -- but at the U.S. border, where tens of thousands of children from Central Americas failed states are arriving en masse. Historian and strategist Walter Russell Mead puts it all together, comparing our present moment to 1914 when World War I broke out after a long peace, asking whether we are moving from a post-war to a pre-war world. The Mexican writer Homero Aridjis traces the horrific journey of migrants on the death train that runs through Mexico to the U.S. from the border with Guatemala. Sergio Munoz Bata focuses on the violent anarchy within Mexico itself that has given rise to vigilantes fighting drug cartels and corrupt government. Eva Högl, a member of the German Parliament, writes from Berlin that, while no one wants a global digital arms race, Germany must do what it can to protect its citizens from unwarranted U.S. cyberspying. Former Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher sees inclusion instead of sectarianism as the only hope for the Middle East. Graham Fuller, at one time the CIAs top expert on the Islamic world, traces religious conflict in the Middle East to the end of the Ottoman Caliphate in the early 20th century and the yearning for a singular Islamic authority. WorldPost Middle East Correspondent Sophia Jones reports from Gaza City, where Palestinian children are grappling with injuries and the loss of family members. Korean scholar Jin Park reflects in a letter from Seoul on the visit there by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who recalled the Ming Dynasty alliance of Korea and China against Japan 400 years ago. Writing from Shanghai, Han Zhu reminds the citizens of Hong Kong that their democratic freedoms now are far greater than they ever were under British rule. In an interview, political theorist Francis Fukuyama sticks to his thesis of history ending in liberal democracy despite Chinas rise. There are bright spots. This week, Berggruen Holdings, along with several African heads of state, announced the establishment of an East Africa Commodities Exchange that will allow small farmers to sell their crops on global markets. Finally, Arianna Huffington reviews LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffmans new book about how to repair the long-term relationship and renew trust between employers and employees in a constantly churning entrepreneurial environment
Posted on: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 03:28:24 +0000
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