Ask Tom Friedman

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 ?

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.

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

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?

"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

Is Obama's international diplomacy strategy dangerous for Israel?

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 ?

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.

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?

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?

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?

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?

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

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?

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.

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

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.

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?

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?

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.

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.

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?

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.

Tom,

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

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?