The GPS Is Hard To Read

Based on his writings, it's tough to pin down Fareed Zakaria's point of view. At times he sounds like an apologetic voice for U.S. imperialism--he initially supported the invasion of Iraq--but lately he's focused on the rise of Asia as the beginning of a multi-polar, "post-American" economic order. As a result, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) has labeled him "spokesperson for the global elite," charging that he presents pro-corporate ideas as the choice of the global underclass. What to make, then, of his own blog post on the Washington Post/Newsweek PostGlobal blog, titled "Ending our Imperial Foreign Policy"? Like I said, tough to pin down. Aside from saying that he--and his colleagues at Newsweek--tend to simplify global relations into a soap opera or horse race (check out the "Global Power Barometer" on PostGlobal) I'll reserve judgment until after I've heard him speak at the Fairmont, 1717 N. Akard St., on Friday. Hopefully the discussion, titled "Emerging Markets in a Post-American World," digs deeper than the World Affairs Council's summary: "The fact that the tallest buildings, biggest dams, largest-selling movies and most advanced cell phones are now being built in nations like Brazil, Russia, China and India has produced a renewed sense of political confidence and nationalism in these countries." Tickets to find out are $75. Visit dfwworld.org for more info.
Fri., April 17, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 2009