Michael was very tough on Fareed Zakaria and his new book. I haven’t read the entire book. But based on the few excerpts that I did read, Zakaria’s book seems to be trying to mishmash a bit of Messianic “Friedmanism” with some hard-core Realpolitik. 

I have no problem with his realist conclusion that the unipolar moment is over and that the international system is gradually taking a multipolar shape and that policymakers in Washington need to adjust U.S. policies to that reality. He also seems to think that a more free-trade/immigration-friendly America will be more competitive in terms of extending its influence in this new globalized system.

The counter argument is that, first, globalization may have actually ignited new/old forces of nationalism (a point which he makes), and that “Friedmanism” could erode American national and cultural identity and weaken its economic power (as many paleo-conservatives would argue) and make it less competitive in the new system of big powers. That’s is certainly a legitimate debate.