This Week

Insight

Ideas & Issues

Off The Radar

Columnist Thomas Friedman gives his take on geopolitics.

HARRY KIRSBAUM
Staff Writer

I

f Israel's Prime MiniSier Ariel Sharon wants to be a
good ally to the United States, he should get Israel
off the media radar screen, said Thomas Friedman,
author and New York Times columnist.
"When America is fighting for its survival, the only ques-
tion an ally should ask is, 'How can we help?"' he told a
packed crowd of more than 600 people in Ypsilanti on
Oct. 22.
Friedman spoke of Israel, the United States, Afghanistan
and the changing face of geo-politics to a crowd from the
Jewish Federation of Washtenaw County at an event co-
sponsored by the Ford Motor Company.
The Palestinians are trying to goad Sharon into doing
something to break up the coalition
between the United States and Arab
countries, he said, adding that the Oct.
17 assassination of Minister of Tourism
Rehavam Ze'evi is the equivalent of the
Scud missiles fired at Israel during the
Gulf War.
"Israel has to find a way to do what-
ever it can against the specific people
who did it [assassinated Ze'evi]," he
said. "But if it has to re-occupy the
West Bank, it will be a disaster."

super-empowered, he said. This system also super-empow-
ers angry men and women.

Fighting Nihilism

How should we think of Sept.11?
Friedman said this is not the Gulf War or Somalia or any
Other fight we've had with other countries or regions.
"This is about us," he said.
Our opponents are super-empowered individuals, "nihilists
who have the technology to match their nihilism," he said.
"They are not looking for co-existence, they are looking for
our non-existence.
"What's most disturbing of all the things about the terrorists
is that several of them were living with their families and sent
them home before their mission," he said. "They hate us more
than they love their families."

A New Geopolitical System

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the
way the United States deals with the
world has changed drastically,
Friedman said.
What once was considered a Cold
War system has become a globaliza-
tion-international system.
"The Cold War system was who you
Thomas Friedman in Ypsilanti
were divided from," he said, citing the
Berlin Wall as an example. "The global
And the hatred — the root cause of Islamic fundamentalism
system is who you're connected to." The World Wide Web
—
stems from the complete failure of the Arab-states system
exemplifies this new global system, he said.
to
deliver
jobs for the young, he said.
In the Cold War, the U.S. reached for the hotline and
Algeria is a prime example, he said. "Those who could went
two leaders talked. Today, "we're all connected, but no
to France for work. Those who couldn't went to the mosque."
one's in charge." It's a system where two Filipino students
And what does Sept. 11 mean for Israel?
can put out a "love bug" virus, and effectively shut down e-
Friedman said he was in Israel on that day. When he first
mail systems across the world.
heard the news, it was from an Israeli woman.
While the Cold War was built on a state-based power
"She said, 'Now the world will understand what we're up
structure, the global system has three power balances, he
against.'
Then she said, 'Oh my God, we're going to be
said: balance of power of states, balance between states and
blamed for this.'"
super markets (economies) and, most uniquely, balance
And that, Friedman said, is why Israel should get off the
between states and super-empowered people.
radar screen. ❑
When you begin to wire the world, a person can become

Remember
When • • •

From the pages of the Jewish News
for this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.

1991

The University of Michigan's
Michigan Daily carried a full-page
ad, from the Committee For Open
Debate, claiming that the
Holocaust never existed.
Islamic extremist groups pledged
to wreck the Middle East peace
conference taking place in Madrid.
Detroiter Howard Sherizen was
reelected to the- board of directors
of the Michigan Assoc-iation of Life
Insurance Counselors.

1981

The University of Frankfurt award-
ed an honorary doctorate to Anna
Freud, daughter of Sigmund Freud.
The board of the Israeli Broadcasting
Authority ruled out the use of "West
Bank;" Judea and Samaria would now
be used to describe the territory.
Detroiter Dr. Conrad L. Giles
was elected president of Detroit
Men's ORT for 1982.

1971
Veteran American Zionist Isaac
Carmel, living in Israel, celebrated
his 88th birthday.
Eileen Rosenberg of Swartz Creek
was chosen sophomore homecoming
queen at Swartz Creek High School.
Detroiter Jerry Powell was
appointed food and beverage man-
ager of the Detroit Hilton Hotel.

1961

The government of Morocco lifted
a ban on the sale of the Jewish pub-
lication L'Arche.
Israel's Hebrew University opened
the academic years with the enroll-
ment of 7,600 students.
The chief rabbi of Israel issued a
protest over the announced plans
by Jordan to raze Rachel's Tomb.

1951

The 1,800-person community of
"Black Jews" in India made plans to
migrate in entirety to Israel.
Sophie Tucker was the
announced headliner for a blood
rally at the Jewish War Veterans
memorial home in Detroit.

—Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant

11/2
2001

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