Ask Tom Friedman

Submit your question to Ask Tom Friedman (192 other responses).

1. Posted by Bryan Massie in Fort Worth:

   Tom,

   Which countries are in best position to lead the global green revolution and which technologies do you think will emerge as the primary drivers of renewable energy ?

2. Posted by Jesse Lava in Chicago:

   Given your great interest in combining environmental stewardship with economic growth, why do you not give more attention to energy recycling, including cogeneration and waste heat recovery? I know of no efficiency solution with more potential to cut carbon emissions and energy costs at the same time.

3. Posted by Ronny Thompson in Baltimore, MD:

   Which presidential candidate do you think will help America compete in a globalized world?

4. Posted by Samir AlOtaibi in Dallas:

   As a person who has spent a lot of years covering the Middle East, what do you think the next president has to do to help resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?

5. Posted by Joelle Yammine in Danbury, CT:

   "From Beirut to Jerusalem" helped me better understand the politics of the middle east simply because you were unbiased.
   What are your thoughts on the future of the middle east in general and Lebanon in specific? Do you still visit Beirut often?
   Thank you,
   Joelle Yammine

6. Posted by Lester freundlich in stamford:

   Is Obama's international diplomacy strategy dangerous for Israel?

7. Posted by Pawel Lichter in Nogales, Arizona:

   Do you think that China with it's dire necessity of China go green and it's enormous capabilities in human resources is the next candidate to overtake us all in this quest for survival ?

8. Posted by Larry Spickler in Lapeer, MI:

   A couple of years ago George W. Bush made a well-publicized visit to a Michigan manufacturer of electric-generating solar roofing products (United Solar Ovonics) and then went on to virtually ignore everything he learned that day. How do we hold the next president's feet to the proverbial fire to insure that the feds become genuinely supportive of solar, wind and alternative energy production? Big oil's stranglehold on politicians appears to have stifled real attempts to move forward in this area--T. Boone Pickens to the contrary.

9. Posted by Jacob LaRonge in Stevens Point, WI:

   Would the "race to go green" eventually alter or even redirect the flow of hegemonistic power to nations who come out on top. If so, would such a redirection of power be solely explained through economic ramifications or by other means?

10. Posted by Josephine Napoleon in :

    Like almost everyone else in officialdom, academia and the media in the West, you seem to advance the notion that Islamic belligerence in our time is a manifestation of 19th and 20th century novel and unwarranted interpretation of the Quran put forward by the purported Wahhabism and Muslim Brotherhood. Do you honestly believe this? Or is it a part of some dreamy therapeutic regimen you presume is going straighten out the World of Islam?

11. Posted by Greg Dressler in ann arbor:

    Regardless of how we produce energy in the future, it seems unlikely that we can continue to support the low density demographics so evident in the west, the great plains, and parts of the south. Are Americans willing to alter their lifestyles and embrace the high density European or Japanesse residential environment that stresses shorter commutes, public transit, and pedestrian traffic. How can we sell the public on the many advantages of urban density?

12. Posted by Gino Tabacchi in St. Louis, MO:

    Given the enormous environmental challenges facing China's continued rise, is there any chance that they will seize a green initiative over the US? Is that something that should be encouraged given the US's less than stellar performance on the issue?

13. Posted by Robert Neiheisel in Lockport:

    Mr Friedman, what would you suggest the new President of the U.S. terms of energy policy be specificly.

14. Posted by Neeti Dharia in New York, NY:

    If low-skilled jobs are outsourced, what do you propose the people who are not qualified for the high-skilled jobs do as a result?

15. Posted by Amit Malhotra in Chicago:

    Do you this Obama's latest promise to make US independent of Middle East for its energy needs, within next 10 years, possible? What do you think will be the three most important things to achieve this.

16. Posted by Robert McElcar in Simpsonville, SC:

    Why does the average American pay so little attention to the lack of a comprehensive United States Energy Policy?

17. Posted by Robert F. Tangen in Boise:

    While the nation is working to become more green in our use of energy has as much thought been given to how green is the manufacturing processes to make these items and how green are they when they are at the end of their life cycle. What happens to the batteries in hybrid and plug-in cars when they can no longer be recharged. Are the manufacturing processes that make these batteries green. What does it profit us if the products we use to be green destroy the environment when they are made or disposed of at the end of their usefulness.

18. Posted by Peter Meisen in San Diego, CA:

    Thirty years ago, visionary engineer Buckminster Fuller posed the question: how do we meet the quality of life needs of all humanity in an environmentally sustainable way? That simulation declared the premier solution is clean energy for all -- and specifically to interconnect the high-voltage electric grids between regions and nations, with an emphasis on tapping abundant local and remote renewable energy resources. Fuller said this project would transition the world from fossil (capital energy) to renewables (income energy); elevate 1.6 billion people out of poverty; and foster trade, cooperation and peace between neighboring nations. Are you familiar with this strategy and the proposed benefits?

19. Posted by Al Harris in Bako -- CA:

    I'm an old cold war warrior kind of guy but it seems to me that the Russians are taking the high road in South Ossetia / Georgia. Are the Russians in the right and protecting the lives and freedom of the folks living in South Ossetia? Or am I being duped by neo Soviet propaganda?

20. Posted by maretta hall in new york, ny:

    Why is when you all received the news and to my understanding, you interviewed Cindy Mcain's sister, the daughter of her father. How is it that she revealed the news of how Cindy's mom took her mom from her father and when their father died, not just Cindy Mccain's father, their father died, Cindy and her mom treacherously only allowed her sister to get on 10,000.00 from a multimillion dollar estate left frm their dad. And how her sister stated she wld not vote for them and how she is a very very evil person. So how did you all miss this in your printing. But you didnt hesitate to print and report Obama and his pastor over and over again. If this is not disclosed, by you it will be. And it will be known that you all interviewed this lady and refused to print.

21. Posted by Mohammad Farooqi in Alberta:

    I'm a muslim and my wife is of jewish heritage. There was very little hatred of jews in the muslim world before Israel's creation and certainly no genocide. Examples of good times abound. Muslim India, Muslim Spain, Turkish Caliphate etc.

    I've travelled extensively in the muslim world and find that people actually detest the ACTIONS of Israel and wouldn't care for the issue if the Jerusalem was shared between Jews and Palestinian Christians/Muslims and things were settled amicably. No amount of media barrage or propaganda will change their minds as we're finding right now. Only if they saw justice done to the Arab Christians/Muslims, will they like the jews again. Simple as that. Currently, things don't look good as Israel abuses its awesome power (and that of the US), sadly.

    Are you a zionist? Why? Intellectual jews, such as yourself, should really advise the militant zionists to choose peace and settle this issue. Otherwise, I'm afraid that this young global muslim population (now reaching almost 2 billion) will never know what it is to see fairness from Jews in power. Why can't Israel take the high road, rather than look for excuses to continue to occupy land? Imagine what it would do to the Muslim-Jew issue?

    I wish to see peace in the Middle east..and want to see Jews actually living everywhere, like they used to. Loved, respected and protected, like they once were.

    Time is of the essence. I've enjoyed many of your articles and would like to see asto what you think of this critical and centric global issue.

    Thanks and kind regads, Tom.
    Shalom/Salaam.

22. Posted by Sudhir Malik in Olney:

    This is in regard to Iraq Policy.
    Should voters give more importance to the would be President's policy or listen carefully to the reports on the field and then decide?
    Obama policy really scare me of polling out of Iraq, because when ever Michael Ware (CNN report in Bagdad) says , at what cost and consequences will be. As per his observations we will left Sunni's on Shiva's mercy. There are 100% chances that Shias will take revenge, in that case with whose side American are suppose to fight?

23. Posted by Emeric Toth in Brooklyn, NY:

    I very much liked the way you captured/described the 'flatness' of the world in the Information Technology arena. I am wondering if you would consider/answer these two questions:
    1) is flatness a stable state of affairs, or just a moment in time, while progress is swinging back and forth from one player/group of players to another. If the former, one could live with that, if the latter, the West will be on the losing side for a long while.
    2) would you consider a multidimensional flatness (or trends to flatness), i.e. in certain disciplines, industries it is more advanced/manifest than in others. If yes, one could take advantage of the disciplines/professions that are still giving and edge in a given geography.

    Thank you.

24. Posted by Mike Panwar in Chicago:

    Tom,

    You seems to a great guy! Why don't you run for the President of United States?
    I will vote for you.

25. Posted by Debra Moss in Columbia Falls:

    Is there any chance of promoting the notion among the people of all nations that having fewer children is the answer to most of our global problems?

26. Posted by Michael George Erdmann in Merrillville:

    Is it possible ...The Borrowers, The Lenders, and The Overseers....in the Housing Industry can be held responsible and accountible to varying degrees that work for ...The Greater Good... and could this translate to other industries like Healthcare and its ...Patients,Physicians, and Policymakers....

    It seems to me we need some 'New Math Language' that factors into statistical evolution such that we include and transcend "competition and cooperation" and embrace a higher collaboration on certain fronts

27. Posted by Sean Michael Blakley in Carmel Valley, CA:

    Tom,
    I am re-reading your book 'The World is Flat' with highlighter in hand and I am marking all the points that you make that are questionable. I can barely turn a page without highlighting something...did you research anything or did you just talk to Executives who have profited tremendously from outsourcing everything they can?
    You book is so full of holes you should be able to see daylight through it.
    I am planning to send you a copy of my mutilation of your book - I am hoping that you will browse it and do a little research (or hire some Indians to do it for you) and discover how many un-truths you have printed.
    I realize that like Michael Moore you must ignore or gloss-over points that counter your arguments, but to lie and mislead so often is shameful and unnecessary.
    Interestingly, I do not feel that globalization is evil or unavoidable - I just feel that a book about the topic should be truthful and I certainly expected more from you.
    I think it would have been great if you closed the book by saying something like, "Hahahahaa - all you dumb suckers bought my book and now I am even richer! Yeah capitalism! My kids will never have to work because I am leaving them a huge trust fund thanks to you idiots! Oh, by the way, I was just kidding about all the stuff in this book - I never spoke with Bill Gates and Michael Dell won't return my emails. You didn't actually read and/or believe any of this garbage did you? Wow, maybe China really is going to eat our lunch..."
    I am a little bitter at having contributed to your financial success, can you tell?

28. Posted by Tariq Ahsan in Lahore, Pakistan:

    Have hostilities between Russia and Georgia demolished your "Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention"?

29. Posted by David Gilbert in Tampa:

    Hi Tom,

    To fix the nation's ifrastructure, wean ourselves from foreign oil with alternative fuels and create an educational system (K1-12) that is the envy of the world is going to cost many TRILLIONS of dollars. We're broke, Tom. Where do you expect to find the money? Dubai?

30. Posted by Moteb F. Alshammary in Riyadh - Saudi Arabia:

    do you think that will be a west-iran conflict soon ?

31. Posted by Kevin Fathi in Gadsden, AL:

    Dear Mr. Friedman,

    Do you think Peak Oil and Global Warming are two issues which will cause Americans to focus on going green? Or do you think that the two issues are in conflict with each other and will force Amercans to address one problem at the expense of a solution to the other problem(for example: utilizing oil shale versus the use of green alternatives)?

    Respectfully,
    Kevin Fathi

32. Posted by kim linden in albany:

    Mr. Friedman,

    Please discuss the selection of Palin by McCain in terms of energy policy. It seems that Ms. Palin was a big supporter of drilling at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Am I wrong? Also, I am wondering where Palin figured into the settlement with Exxon and other preventative negotiations with big oil in Alaska, given the huge damage they created in her state.

    McCain has already mentioned national drilling as a means to an end.
    Where does Palin figure in with this plan?

    Sincerely,

    Kim Linden

33. Posted by Dan Hackett in Pittsburgh, PA:

    Between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden who do you see has making more of an impact on their respective running mates' campaigns? Biden with his experience in national security or Palin with her record as a maverick?

34. Posted by Mubasir Mundia in Garden City NY:

    Are you a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?

35. Posted by Stephen J. Smith in Racine WI:

    You have supported higher prices for oil (and, therefore, gasoline) and have argued that if the government enacted a tax that had the effect of creating a floor on the price to the public (redistributing the revenue to the public so as to be revenue neutral), that would be a GOOD thing, encouraging conservation and alternative energy source innovation. I agree with your logic, but in the insane political environment of our country, how will it ever be possible to convince others? Name one prominent politician who has the courage to take this position.

36. Posted by Stephen Frank in Toronto, Ontario:

    Mr. Friedman,

    I have read your book - "The world is flat". Considering the slowdown in the American economy and the rhetoric coming out of Washington about outsourcing, coupled with the rising wages in India, what course, do you think, outsourcing will take in the near future.

37. Posted by Victoria Tullman in Tampa, FL:

    You supported the US invasion of Iraq while your wife was against it. Does she now feel vindicated, and have you admitted that perhaps you were wrong?

38. Posted by michael thomas in tokyo:

    Dear Sir,

    Is this the age of the super state? China, India, Russia, Brazil and the USA are all large powers with ethnic diveristy, strong national cultures and organic nationalism. Will this lead to conflict and is the EU nothing more than an economic union, a straw man on the international stage as it seems to be?

39. Posted by Allan Yong in KK:

    What was is it like to win two Pulitzer Prizes?What do you think of the viability of the cap and trade method that companies employ to care care of their 'green image'? There is virtually no way to gauge its effect on the environment.Do you think the vast sums of money will be lost to a wasted cause.

40. Posted by Simon Wiltshire in Minneapolis:

    Tom, what SPECIFICALLY can or should a president (as opposed to congress) do to make "green industry" a reality? It seems the key policy decisions are really in the hands of the legislative rather than the executive branch, and anything remotely controversial ends up tied up in the courts for years. Truly, what can ACTUALLY be executed in the near future to change our system and drive the innovation we need.

41. Posted by Bahadir koc in ankara / turkey:

    Which do you think will come first - a Palestinian state, a kurdish state, an iranian nuke and truly democratic and stable arab state ?

42. Posted by Tom Harrison in Melbourne, Australia:

    What do university students like myself need to be focusing our minds on to best contribute in a globalised world? What jobs and areas of service will become increasingly important?

43. Posted by Bob Summers in Edmonton, Canada:

    This may seem like a joke, but it is a serious question. I write from a Canadian perspective here. Are Americans (as in the masses) really as dumb as they seem?

44. Posted by Joel Kek in Singapore:

    Much of the American electorate seems to be isolationist, opposing free trade and other forces of globalization. Politicians pander to these isolationist tendencies repeatedly during the election period, however when they take office they often realize that isolationism is not the way to go, and tweak their policies. Do you think that politicians should straight out declare that they are against isolationism and that globalization is inevitable, instead of disingenuously pandering to the electorate?

45. Posted by Noel V. Bourasaw in Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284:

    Tom, why did your reporter on the Palin story fail to point out that she was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it? We here in the Northwest have observed her vast exaggerations of her resume but this is the worst.

    http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/08/29/did-palin-really-fight-the-bridge-to-nowhere.aspx
    Did Palin Really Fight The "Bridge To Nowhere"?
    Republicans have been heavily touting Sarah Palin's reformist credentials, with her supposed opposition to Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere" as Exhibit A. But how hard did she really fight the project? Not very, it seems. Here's what she told the Anchorage Daily News on October 22, 2006, during the race for the governor's seat (via Nexis):

    5. Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?

    Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now--while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.

    So she was very much for the bridge and insisted that Alaska had to act quickly—the party of Ted Stevens and Don Young might soon lose its majority, after all. By that point, the project was endangered for reasons that had nothing to do with Palin—the bridge had become a national laughingstock, Congress had stripped away the offending earmark, shifting the money back to the state's general fund, and future federal support seemed unlikely. True, after Palin was sworn into office that fall, her first budget didn't allocate any money for the bridge. But when the Daily News asked on December 16, 2006, if she now opposed the project, Palin demurred and said she was just trying to figure out where the bridge fit on the state's list of transportation priorities, given the lack of support from Congress.
    ***
    Anchorage Daily News, 10/5/06: Palin Said She Supported The So-Called "Bridge To Nowhere," But Was Concerned Money "Flow" Was "Going too Slow":
    As for the infamous 'bridges to nowhere,' MacDonald asked if the candidates would forge ahead with the proposed Knik Arm crossing between Anchorage and Point MacKenzie and Ketchikan's Gravina Island bridge. Each has received more than $90 million in federal funding and drew nationwide attacks as being unnecessary and expensive. He also asked if they support building an access road from Juneau toward -- but not completely connecting to -- Skagway and Haines. 'I do support the infrastructure projects that are on tap here in the state of Alaska that our congressional delegations worked hard for,' Palin said. She said the projects link communities and create jobs. Still, Palin warned that the flow of federal money into the state for such projects is going too slow.

46. Posted by Elisabeth Starr in London, Ontario:

    Those familiar with your work will undoubtedly by aware of your stance in regard to the energy policies of the U.S. government, particularly the Bush administration. Can you comment on how congressional demands for "sound science" and the increased regulatory influence of industry-sponsored scientists have led to what law professor David Vladeck called "paralysis by analysis"*?

    *Mooney, Chris. "The Republican War on Science", 2005

47. Posted by Eric Bruzzone in Shanghai, China:

    Dear Mr. Friedman,

    I am a great admirer, up to the point that after reading TWIF I decided to come to Shanghai and be part of the World flatness.

    My question is: does someone cares about gravity on earth?? From all the Eco concerns about green house emissions, global warming, etc. nobody seems to target something really scary: TONS of oils being extracted from our surface and burned every day.

    I am not an expert (actually I am a tax lawyer) but logic tells me that this MUST be a problem sooner or later in the world balance of the world. I am right?

    All the very best,

    Eric Bruzzone
    Chilean enjoying life in Shanghai

48. Posted by William Dougherty in Wilmington, DE:

    Do gas prices fall before elections because energy companies seek to take the issue off of the table, as a struggling economy tends to favor the Democrats, and lower gas prices help to alleviate financial suffering?

    http://www.scribald.blogspot.com

49. Posted by Swivelchair in SoCal:

    My question is, is the "green revolution" misfiring -- toward an automobile based economy?

    As the world flattens, will we drive as many miles? If Comcast has a cap on the internet use, isn't that part of our energy problem?

    Do we have an energy policy which provides the right mix of energy and internet infrastructure build-out/regulation?

50. Posted by Ali khan in Chicago:

    Tom

    Considering the way our politicians completely ignore this issue, do you think America will lose its scientific and technological edge in the next 10 years? And how do we fix this problem. Do we focus on increasing government funding of basic scientific research, do we need to hire more qualified teachers, should we eliminate the cap on H1B visas to allow the best and brightest to come to America if they choose to, or is it just that Americans are no longer interested in the subjects and no longer want to put in the time and effort to become great scientists and engineers?