Preface to the Paperback Edition

The preface of a book is our first look into what is instore, or what the author's opinion is on the issues pending to be discussed. My first question is "Why is there a Preface to the Paperback Edition of this book?" Usually, there is a preface if this is the second printing, but just changing it from hardcover to paperback within a short period of time should hardly be a reason for a preface. By looking at the publishing information in the beginning of the book, I got my answer. Apparently, this book was originally printed in hardcover in a slightly different form in the United States. Does this mean he censors certain opinons about the United States or other countries in the hardcover edition? Has something significant happen from 2008 to 2009 for his opinion to change enough for a second printing so soon? If I had more time, I would definately investigate this further.

In the preface of this book, Khanna validates the three superpowers as the United States, the European Union, and China on a level playing field. Even in this new era of globalization and geopolitics, the concerns faced by nations remain power, resources, stability, and conflict. Even though the three superpowers hold about 20% in the world's economy, the second world has the ability to shift world order just as much as these powers since these countries hold millions of people and trillions of dollars in investments and deals.

About America's foreign policy in the last years of the Bush administration, Khanna states that this administration has achieved little in terms of alliances, and investments with the second world, the EU and China. He hopes that the new president will be the spark to awaken the return of American leadership on the world stage. --> How interesting that Khanna is criticising the Bush administration and advocating in new leadership. Maybe a little biography of Parag Khanna will help us understand why.

Short Biography of Parag Khanna

According to www.paragkhanna.com/bio, Parag Khanna is the Director of the Global Governance Initiative and Senior Research Fellow in the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation. In 2007, he was a Senior geopolitical advisor the the United States Special Operations Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, he has also served in the foreign policy advisory group to the Barack Obama for President campaign.

Based on his extremely short bio, Khanna was in fact part of the Obama for President campaign. This gives us a little insight into Khanna's bias in this book. Khanna criticizes the Bush administration (Republicans) and hopes that the new administration (Democrats) will do a better job. He obviously believes that the Democrats should be in power since is was in the campaign.

Khanna's Fives Steps for American Strategy (p.xi-xii)

1. Speak of global interests and values rather than American ones.

2. United States should build up "its diplomatic activity by enhancing the powers of regional assistant secretaries and adding ambassadors to key regional institutions."

3. "Diplomacy must be boosted not just through governmental channels but through a "diplomatic-industrial" complex"

4. "Get the fiscal house in order and avoid protectionist reflexes when it comes to channeling foreign sovereign wealth into renewing America's crumbling infrastructure and fostering innovation."

5. United States, EU and China must pursue a G-3 to address global challenges.

Final Words

In the pages of the Preface, two sentences stayed with me the most:

"America needs to rebalance its relationship with globalization or risk becoming second world itself" (p.xii)

"That the world may lack a single leader does not mean that it must lack a vision" (p.xii)

Until next time!
Candy