TO: B.H.

O
FROM: Kaitlyn OConnor
SUBJECT: Feedback Regarding Haass Argument
After reading over Haass argument, I agree that it cannot be ignored. There are some
very excellent ideas and propositions about world order and global issues present in the
article. As other countries gain power, it is becoming increasingly decentralized, resulting
in what Haas points out as the emerging disorder in the world. This is something to make
note of, as if nothing is done, the disorder will spiral out of control causing negative
global ramifications.
However, it is important not to panic, because with a plan of action, clear priorities and
an agenda working towards world order the chaos can turn around. First we must
identify the main sources of global disorder since it is counterproductive to attempt to fix
all that is wrong in the world at one time. Haas identifies the main cauldron of disorder as
the Middle East. The Middle East is likely to be filled with mostly weak states unable to
police large swaths of their territories. This is why we are seeing militias and terrorist
groups causing so much unrest and disorder.
On the periphery of Europe, there is also renewed instability due to the rejection of
integration into European global order by President Valdimir Putin. The Ukrainian crisis
is well recognized, but not the last and could manifest, as Haas suggests, a Soviet
restoration. This is a bold projection but could very well be a result of the crisis.
Additionally, attention must be paid to Asia as well, considering it is one of the main
factors for power shift in current global dynamics; causes for great power shift are
heavily due to Chinas exponential growth. Though there is no current instability in the
region, there is significant potential. In addition, unresolved territorial disputes yields a
recipe for classic geopolitical maneuvering and possibly armed conflict.
It is important to understand the cause of these global issues to address how to change
them. Haas names a few of the origins of disorder specifically in the Middle East, this list
includes the following: lack of clear line between religious and secular spheres, disputes
between moderates and radicals, corrupt, top heavy governments, poor educational
systems, and the curse of abundant energy sources.
Haas argues that the United States made a mistake and thus perpetuated these issues in
the Middle East by ousting Saddam Hussein. Though hindsight shows this decision to be
relatively ineffective, there is no way to change it now. I think that it is extremely crucial
to learn from the past but not effective to dwell as much as Haas tends to do. We have to
accept the past, learn from it, and prioritize how to fix ramifications that have resulted
from specific decisions.
Though it is true that the world has always been messy, it is not an excuse to ignore the
current world turbulence that will likely progress if it is not addressed properly. Some
main things I picked out of the article that the United States should focus on include,

shrinking the gap between U.S. ambitious and actions; I think that we commit to too
many global issues when taking more action on less situations would be more beneficial.
We also must understand that helping countries get to a better political state is much more
difficult than often recognized. Another important point to think about is the fact that
doing too little can be just as costly and risky as doing too much. Additionally, Haas
says that helpful things outsiders can do include, support civil society, help displaced
people and refugees, and counter terrorism and the production of weapons of mass
destruction.
Haas suggested in the article that we should increase our U.S. defense spending money.
Considering we already spend far more on military than other countries, I dont think this
is necessarily the best option. I would like to reemphasize that we should prioritize less
projects and put more effort into the most pressing matters. The main issues mentioned in
the article that should be focused on, are the Middle East, since it is a huge source of
global conflict and Asia, as its rising power is likely to make a huge impact on the
shifting of world power and lead to potential conflict.
Overall, the article takes a somewhat negative tone, though valid points are made, I do
not think that the world order will spiral completely out of control as suggested as long as
we prioritize and recognize the issues at hand.