Review of the Pentagon's New Map
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- Date Submitted: 01/08/2014 10:00 AM
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The Pentagon’s New Map (Barnett)
Part 1. Author’s Thesis
Mr. Barnett’s thesis is comprised of two parts, one descriptive and the other prescriptive. First, Barnett describes the world as divided into two distinct groups: the Functioning Core (“Core”) and the Non-Integrating Gap (“Gap”). The Functioning Core is comprised of the nation-states that are globalized through network connectivity, financial transactions, liberal media flows, and collective security. Barnett states that these Core nations are prosperous and stable because they are fully participating in the advance of globalization. In contrast, Barnett finds that the nations not participating in globalization, disconnected from the global community, are plagued by “politically repressive regimes, wide speared poverty and disease, routine mass murder, and most important—the chronic conflicts that incubate the next generation of global terrorists.” Thomas P.M. Barnett, “The Pentagon’s New Map—It Explains Why We’re Going to War, and Why We’ll Keep Going to War,” Esquire (March 2003), 97. Barnett asserts that it is the disconnected nations of the Gap that pose a national security threat to the United States because these nations will eventually migrate their problems to those countries enjoying globalization's connectivity.
The second part of Barnett’s thesis is that the United States must promote connectivity with the Gap, in what he calls “shrinking the gap”, by exporting security conducive to globalization. Barnett believes that the United States must lead this effort because it is ideally suited to do so, as the United States is “connectivity personified” and has the military and economic strength to promote security. Barnett also believes that the United States’ military engagement in the Gap is the only way to protect it from national security threats found in the Gap.
Part 2. Author’s main arguments
Barnett begins the support of his thesis by mapping the current...
Part 1. Author’s Thesis
Mr. Barnett’s thesis is comprised of two parts, one descriptive and the other prescriptive. First, Barnett describes the world as divided into two distinct groups: the Functioning Core (“Core”) and the Non-Integrating Gap (“Gap”). The Functioning Core is comprised of the nation-states that are globalized through network connectivity, financial transactions, liberal media flows, and collective security. Barnett states that these Core nations are prosperous and stable because they are fully participating in the advance of globalization. In contrast, Barnett finds that the nations not participating in globalization, disconnected from the global community, are plagued by “politically repressive regimes, wide speared poverty and disease, routine mass murder, and most important—the chronic conflicts that incubate the next generation of global terrorists.” Thomas P.M. Barnett, “The Pentagon’s New Map—It Explains Why We’re Going to War, and Why We’ll Keep Going to War,” Esquire (March 2003), 97. Barnett asserts that it is the disconnected nations of the Gap that pose a national security threat to the United States because these nations will eventually migrate their problems to those countries enjoying globalization's connectivity.
The second part of Barnett’s thesis is that the United States must promote connectivity with the Gap, in what he calls “shrinking the gap”, by exporting security conducive to globalization. Barnett believes that the United States must lead this effort because it is ideally suited to do so, as the United States is “connectivity personified” and has the military and economic strength to promote security. Barnett also believes that the United States’ military engagement in the Gap is the only way to protect it from national security threats found in the Gap.
Part 2. Author’s main arguments
Barnett begins the support of his thesis by mapping the current...