The world begins to disappear

Pakistan is looking more and more troubling. To be fair, Pakistan always looks troubling. Pakistan and Israel are the only countries founded on an idea. In Pakistan's case, it is the idea that South Asian Muslims need a country of their own. And maybe the idea is not enough to hold the country together. The only strong institutions are the Army and the intelligence service, and right now they are battling nascent civil society movements as well as specific ethnic groups. This matters of course as Pakistan has a number of nuclear weapons.

The frightening possibilities in the future make John Robb's book, Brave New War, The Next Stage of Terrorism and the End of Globalization seem all the more important to read. While globalization appears to be unstoppable today, it also did in 1913.