The Brightest Person in the World

If you asked 100 people who was the brightest person in the world, the chances are that you’d get 100 different answers and probably none of them would be be our candidate, Dr. Fareed Zakaria.

Of course, to begin with, that’s an unanswerable question unless you narrow it down. Are we talking genetics? International relations? Homeopathy? Nanotechnology? Computers? What.

What Zakaria is is an expert on International Relations and policy.

Zakaria is probably among the best knowns of the “unknowns” who lecture and write on the subject of International Relations. He’s known because of his fine editorial as published in Newsweek over the last what? Half dozen years….

As a reader and lecturer he has a lot to say and he does it in an informed, erudite Internationalist way that doesn’t abrade but illuminates. After he says it, you wonder why didn’t I think of that.

In short, Zakaria makes sense.

And for that reason, it is too bad that US policy makers have failed to listen to him.

He gave one for instance today when he on Charlie Rose he addressed the questions of India’s eastern border and the challenges with their neighbors who have been at odds with Chinese adventurism.

Zakaria spoke about his Indian friend and his comments.

He said to Zakaria the problem with the US is they are quick to talk about exporting democracy and pointing out the problems other countries are having and not effectively addressing.

Yet, as the government dignitary pointed out, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, two nations that America has strong relationships with, are anti-democratic and run by despotic leaders.

Why, the dignitary asked Zakaria, is it okay for the US to have exceptions and the rest of the world does not.

This is an interesting question and gets to the heart of the reason why America is not trusted by much of the world community—it does not follow the precepts of its own democratic beliefs.

Zakaria uses various examples to discuss the state of the World from the Sudan, including China’s influence, to Iran, suggesting that there are other ways to handle the situation there than saber rattling.

And I am inclined to agree with him.

After following Zakaria for a number of years and being somewhat of a fence straddler regarding his positions, I have learned over time that he is fundamentally right on most issues.
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What is sad is that we don’t use human resources like Zakiria where they can do the most good and, instead, rely on old-fashioned bromides and ideas that no longer apply in a changing world.

Fareed Zakaria was on today’s Charlie Rose.
Very illuminating on issues and well-worth watching.

Look for Zakaria’s latest book on Global politics.

Les Aaron
The Armchair Curmudgeon