This was really interesting thanks. Barnett's view of history and modern times fascinating, especially the idea of multiple NATO like agencies based on regions. He sees NATO as civilizing force for Europe and made the EU possible. He see's a similar effect occurring in the east, which would unite China, Taiwan, Japan and India. I'm not so sure that would work the same as the West, though.

I first came across Thomas Barnett through this remarkable TED presentation
"The Pentagon's new map for war and peace"

WHOA.

The presentation was incredible. What he's suggesting makes a lot sense. America already has an incredibly powerful military, no one is going to mess with that. But that military is good at breaking things and killing people and you can't have that same military functioning as aide, so yeah, split'em in two, force of war and a force of peace to clean up and take care of things after the war.

Damn, I gotta watch that again...

Some of the same plus lots more. Thought provoking.