Thomas P.M. Barnett

  Allright gang, here's the the deal on Christmas Day.  Merry Christmas to you all, and you Girardians and mimetic theorists know just how destabilizing of the old order the birth of Jesus is!  And, if you read Jeff and Mike, or Mutt and Jeff, for the Dec 23 lectionary, you know that Joseph represents the old order disappearing and Mary the new, and who we want to be.
    In the new year what I covet, what I want, what I long for is that I can more be like Mary who keeps saying yes to the holy spirit in her and what that means.
    And, to the preaching peace/stanford neurology guys/ paul neuchterlein / Tony Bartlett and the rest - we need a way to get in conversation w/ Thomas P.M. Barnett.  He's our guy in the military/political realm.  What I would give for a ticket to one of his lectures.  If I could ask one question of Rene Girard, it would be, today anyway, do you know Thomas P.M. Barnett?  Have you read his work.  And to Tom, do you know Rene.  Hey gang, let's have a party and get them both there.
    Allright gang, google him up and check out his blog.  Or, read his book - The Pentagon's New Road Map.  It will give you a vision for the use of the military.  Of all global theorists in the political realm, he is awesome.  Check him out.
    Tom Barnett, this member of the girardians, this member of the preaching peace team thinks you are the man!
    And by the way, I spoke on the phone @ 11:30am to my son, PV2 WIlliam McKinney stationed @ Ft. Hood, Texas and now assigned to the First Cavalry to wish him a Merry Christmas.  It is his first Christmas away from home.

    All good medicine~
             Mary McKinney
                and I saw two coyotes last week, and was enthralled, broken open by a teenage possum in our recycle bin @ the church

Comments

[nancy]

You mentioned this fellow once before, Mary. I looked him up then and did so again now...is there any way you could say more about the connections you see (real or potential) between Barnett and peace theology? I'm having a hard time finding them in the short run and I'm not sure how much effort I want to devote to it... BUT since you're feeling so strongly about him, I don't want to overlook someone valuable. From the blogsite and the editorial reviews of his books it's hard for me to see the connections that you are; however, I know that I'm a sadly unpolitically savvy sort, so I thought I'd ask for your help. What does he bring to light and how do you see that connecting with peace theology?

Also, if it was your son's first Christmas away from home, it strikes me that this may have been a difficult one for you too. It may be part of "being all good medicine" too, but sometimes the medicine is as difficult to live with as the disease. I am glad you were able to speak to him on Christmas; that sounds like excellent medicine indeed.

[michael hardin]

Congrats on seeing the Coyotes!

Re Barnett: You are the second person this month to recommend his book, I am going to order it! Thanks Mary and a great 2008 to you!!!

[mary]

Nancy - Pentagon's new road map might be in the library. Chapter 5 is a personal and family story that may be a way in. Right now just finished reading a short interview w/ Karen Armstrong. She noted her own global strokes and how unpopular that is w/ academia. As Andrew McKenna notes, can't mention Rene Girard @ the University of Chicago. Wonder why? I'm drawn to global perspectives and universality of blessing. Tom gets @ that from a different angle. Tom wants to get the globe running so well that all can/will benefit.

Michael, glad to hear you may be getting PNR, as the book is called.

Happy new year to you all.

[+ Kev +]

Tom Barnett is doomed. In fact, he's "circling the drain" right now.

[Jimmy J.]

New to your blog. Came via TPM Barnett's blog. You are very right that in order to understand what is going on in the world you must read The Pentagon's New Map. Barnett has seen the way the world is organized/disorganized and the way to bring the disorganized part of the world (His Gap) into the benefits of peaceful trade and commerce among nations.Unfortunately, it's a huge job and will take many years. He likens it, in many ways, to the integration of the Old West and frontier into the more civilized eastern part of the U.S., which took about 50 years.

I don't agree with him 100%, but he is a big thinker with big ideas that are worth considering.

And, of course, praying for wisdom and guidance towards the right paths never hurts.

[mary]

Kev and Jimmy J - glad to see your response. Met a great thinker over the holidays named Jim, who helped me to reflect on Tom Barnett. Jimmy, I'm kind of w/ you in that I do think he's on to something. And when we've found someone w/ whom we agree 100%, well, maybe that is a danger of some sort. Thanks guys.