Dimensions
153 x 232 x 22mm
In Flashpoints, Friedman zooms in on the region that has been the
cultural hotbed of the world — Europe — and examines the most
basic and fascinating building block of the region: culture. Analysing
the fault lines that have existed for centuries — and which have led
to two world wars and dozens more conflicts — Friedman walks
us through the 'flashpoints' that are still smouldering beneath the
surface and are on course to erupt again.
Using his personal knowledge and European background, Friedman
begins with a fascinating history of the events leading up to the
horrific wars that nearly tore apart Western civilisation. Modern-day
Europe, and the formation of the European Union, were designed
to minimise the built-in geopolitical tensions that led to catastrophic
war. But, as Friedman shows, those plans have failed. 'Flashpoints'
are now simmering as dangerously as in the early 20th century.
Zeroing in on half-a-dozen locations, borderlands, and cultural
dynamics, George Friedman does what few historians can — he
explains precisely how certain trends are unstoppable, and what
the future holds ... both in terms of conflict and also opportunity.
Flashpoints reveals a geopolitical landscape that is at once a
scintillating history lesson and a forecast for the coming years.
