Whereas Friedman's last book, The Next 100 Years, focused on "the impersonal
forces that shape history in the long run," now the geopolitical intelligence
expert examines the impact of current decision making, especially of the United
States government, on the world. Friedman suggests that problems currently
affecting us significantly may not actually matter in the long run. He compares
the position of the United States today to that of Britain in 1910, and argues
that the U.S. is an "unintended empire" and that its president is a "global
emperor," in part due to the size of the country's economy. Throughout, Friedman
argues for an end to the reluctance, as he sees it, to entangle the country in
global affairs. He examines the past strategies of Presidents Bush and Clinton
and stresses what President Obama and his successor must do about terrorism and
technology to foster relations with the Middle East, Europe, the Western Pacific,
Latin America, Africa, Israel, Iran, and Russia. When it comes to Bush and Obama
he doesn't play favorites, criticizing their policies and comparing them with
presidents who possessed more Machiavellian attributes, in his view. While his
ideas are well-researched and compelling, Friedman makes the occasional leap
that casual readers might find confusing.

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