How Tom Friedman got the Irish crisis all wrong

N.Y. Times writer owes Irish an apology says professor

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Thomas L. Friedman columnist with the New York Times got Ireland all wrong

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Tom Friedman, uber columnist with the New York Times  and best selling author has long been considered the most influential global thinker of his generation.

However, a new article in Foreign Policy magazine points out how Friedman got it disastrously wrong on Ireland and the European Union.

The article was written by Sean  Kay professor of politics and government at Ohio  Wesleyan University who is also an Irish expert  who also points out Friedman’s blunders such as agreeing early on with the strategy to invade Iraq and not to  mention his absurd claim that countries which have McDonalds don’t fight each other -- that was before U.S. Vs Yugolslavia, Russia Vs Georgia etc. 

Kay points out  that  Freidman wrote in The World Is Flat (2005) that, "I do get a little lump in my throat when I see countries like China, India, or Ireland adopting a basically pro-globalization strategy, adopting it to their own political, social, and economic conditions, and reaping the benefits," he wrote.

Friedman cites Ireland as his favorite example calling it "One of the best examples of a country that has made a huge leap forward by choosing development and reform retail of its governance, infrastructure, and education."
   
Kay points out much of Friedman’s enthusiasm for Ireland came apparently through an email exchange with Dell founder Michael Dell.

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