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Joschka Fischer, the 2007 Bartels World Affairs Fellow, speaks at Cornell University.

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General Zinni’s advice to the new U.S. President: Truly understand the new world order and rebuild relationships

Posted on: 4/23/2008

On Tuesday April 15th, Anthony C. Zinni, retired General in the United States Marine Corps, former Commander-in-Chief of United States Central Command, and the Frank H.T. Rhodes Class of 1956 Professor gave a talk entitled “The New World Order.” Director of the Mario Einaudi Center, Nic van de Walle, introduced General Zinni as a speaker in the Center’s Foreign Policy Distinguished Speaker Series.

General A. Zinni began with a personal anecdote during the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. He was in Berlin as the events unfolded and able to drive in a car through “Checkpoint Charlie” into East Germany; the previously untouchable USSR. The general mood of the Russian soldiers was one of stark confusion, mirrored closely by Zinni’s own feelings – no one knew what to think and what was next. Zinni paraphrased George H.W. Bush, discussing the “new world order” and “peace dividends” related to the USSR collapse. He argued that this peace dividend never materialized because of the shrinking of America’s military strength due to increased military operations in Bosnia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Zinni discussed how globalization and the fall of the Soviet Union opened up the entire world and how the proliferation of technological advances altered the global landscape. These changes coalesced to produce a very changed world; “a world we don’t get or understand.” The United States has operated within the Cold War paradigm without realizing that the global context that underscored the paradigm has shifted in a new direction. This has created a new threat: an American society that doesn’t have the political and social institutions necessary to cope with a hostile environment. The job of the developed world is to build and strengthen such institutions, “not out of choice but out of necessity.” Borders and boundaries once firm now permeate into others. The newly flat world is so interdependent that the United States cannot let instability grow; negative impacts will hit its shores.

General Zinni concluded his talk by offering advice to the future President of the United States. First, the incoming President will need to assess and truly understand the changes that make the world ordered anew. Second, to revive the importance of strategic decision; strategic priorities need to be set in order to give direction to policy initiatives. Third, to try and solve problems before they become crises; create programs to deal with little problems will save millions of dollars in the long term. Fourth, rebuild relationships with states, non-governmental organizations and regional institutions in order to work as partners. The President needs to convey to engage Americans before he/she engages the world. Finally, Zinni recommends a total transformation of the United States military to reflect the challenges that exist in the post-Cold War era.

General Zinni’s talk was part of the Foreign Policy Initiative at Cornell led by the Einaudi Center to maximize the intellectual impact of Cornell’s outstanding resources in this area.

Contact Information
Heike Michelsen
Einaudi Center
255 8926
hm75@cornell.edu

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