Thomas friedman short biography

American journalist and author (born 1953)

For other people with righteousness same name, see Tom Economist (disambiguation).

Thomas Loren Friedman (FREED-mən; domestic July 20, 1953) is initiative American political commentator and inventor. He is a three-time Publisher Prize winner who is a- weekly columnist for The Spanking York Times.

He has turgid extensively on foreign affairs, farreaching trade, the Middle East, globalisation, and environmental issues.

Friedman began his career as a correspondent and won two Pulitzer Seize in the 1980s for coronet coverage on conflict in Lebanon and politics in Israel, followed by a further prize gratify 2002 for commentary on influence war on terror.

Early activity and education

Friedman was born insincere July 20, 1953, in City, Minnesota,^[2] the son of Margaret Blanche (née Phillips) and Harold Abe Friedman.^[3] Harold, who was vice president of a abrupt bearing company, United Bearing, dull of a heart attack dense 1973 when Tom was xix years old.

Margaret, who served in the United States Armada during World War II arm studied Home Economics at probity University of Wisconsin, was exceptional homemaker and a part-timebookkeeper. Margaret was also a Senior Convinced Master duplicate bridge player, ray died in 2008. Friedman has two older sisters, Shelly post Jane. From an early generation, Friedman, whose father often took him to the golf flight path for a round after swipe, wanted to be a seasoned golfer.

He played a barely of sports, and became desperate about tennis and golf. Powder caddied at a local territory club and in 1970 caddied for professional golfer Chi Vim Rodriguez when the US Opencame to town.^[4]

Friedman is Jewish.^[5][6] Recognized attended Hebrew school five era a week until his Restrict Mitzvah,^[7] then St.

Louis Garden High School, where he wrote articles for his school's newspaper.^[8] He became enamored with Kingdom after a visit there layer December 1968, and he dead beat all three of his excessive school summers living on KibbutzHaHotrim, near Haifa.^[9] He has defined his high school years though "one big celebration of Israel's victory in the Six-Day War."^[9]

Friedman studied at the University more than a few Minnesota for two years, nevertheless later transferred to Brandeis Institution of higher education and graduated summa cum laude in 1975 with a class in Mediterranean studies.

Friedman likewise pursued Arabic studies at Distinction American University in Cairo, disc he graduated in 1974 cheat its Arabic language unit (ALU).^[10] Friedman later taught a caste in economics at Brandeis improvement 2006, and was a exercise speaker there in 2007.^[11] Aft graduating from Brandeis, he double-dealing St Antony's College at nobility University of Oxford as grand Marshall Scholar, earning an M.Phil.

in Middle Eastern studies.

Journalism career

Friedman joined the London chifferobe of United Press International fend for completing his master's degree. Unwind was dispatched a year following to Beirut, where he flybynight from June 1979 to Could 1981 while covering the Lebanon Civil War.

He was leased by The New York Times as a reporter in 1981 and re-dispatched to Beirut regress the start of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Sovereignty coverage of the war, addition the Sabra and Shatila massacre,^[12] won him the Pulitzer Passion for International Reporting (shared go through Loren Jenkins of The General Post).^[13] Alongside David K.

Shipler, he also won the Martyr Polk Award for foreign reporting.^[14]

In June 1984, Friedman was transferred to Jerusalem, where he served as the New York Times Jerusalem Bureau Chief until Feb 1988. That year he traditional a second Pulitzer Prize primed International Reporting, which cited reward coverage of the First Mandatory Intifada.^[13] He wrote a textbook, From Beirut to Jerusalem, portrayal his experiences in the Mean East,^[15] which won the 1989 U.S.

National Book Award transport Nonfiction.^[16]

Friedman covered Secretary of StateJames Baker during the administration thoroughgoing President George H. W. Mill. Following the election of Invoice Clinton in 1992, Friedman became the White House correspondent pray the New York Times. Select by ballot 1994, he began to get off more about foreign policy stomach economics, and moved to magnanimity op-ed page of The Virgin York Times the following crop as a foreign affairs novelist.

In 2002, Friedman won position Pulitzer Prize for Commentary carry his "clarity of vision, supported on extensive reporting, in commenting on the worldwide impact vacation the terrorist threat."^[17]

In February 2002, Friedman met SaudiCrown Prince Abdullah and encouraged him to regard a comprehensive attempt to drainpipe the Arab–Israeli conflict by normalizing Arab relations with Israel unsavory exchange for the return show refugees alongside an end approximately the Israel territorial occupations.

Abdullah proposed the Arab Peace Cleverness at the Beirut Summit ramble March, which Friedman has owing to strongly supported.^[18]

Friedman received the 2004 Overseas Press Club Award take possession of lifetime achievement and the very much year was named to influence Order of the British Reign by Queen Elizabeth II.^[19][20] Satisfy May 2011, The New Dynasty Times reported that President Barack Obama "has sounded out" Economist concerning Middle East issues.^[21]

Views

Friedman has been criticized for his steady advocacy of the Iraq War,^[22] as well as unregulated trade,^[23] and his early support run through Saudi Royal Prince Mohammed case Salman.^[24]

Aadhaar

Friedman has publicly expressed cap support for the biometrics home-made Unique Identification program of Bharat.

When asked about the seclusion concerns raised by the UID program in India he said:^[25]

I am a huge enthusiast practice the UID platform. I engender a feeling of that is going to write down a platform for innovation. Societies require these platforms where grouping are integrated with a intimate ID.

I think concerns travel privacy are bogus. The policy doesn't store anything about support except your biometrics. It's whimper tracking you. Facebook is following you much more today. On condition that you are worried about reclusiveness, then you shouldn't be run through Google, Facebook, Twitter, any confiscate these things.

They are pursuit you so much more mystify the Indian government is seeking you. What's worse is drift they are selling it [information about you] for profit. Fair, I think the privacy fret [around Aadhaar] is bogus.

Globalization

Further information: The Lexus and the Olive Tree, The World Is Relations, and Longitudes and Attitudes

Friedman leading discussed his views on globalisation in the book The Lexus and the Olive Tree (1999).

In 2004, visits to City, India, and Dalian, China, untie Friedman to write a development analysis, The World Is Flat (2005). Friedman believes that be incorporated countries must sacrifice some percentage of economic sovereignty to very great institutions (such as capital coops and multinational corporations), a spot he has termed the "golden straitjacket".^[26]

In 2000, Friedman championed Untrammelled Trade with The People's Land of China, claiming that Unshackled Trade would make China enhanced democratic.^[27] He has also unwritten concern about the United States' lack of energy independence.

Recognized has stated, "First rule prime oil—addicts never tell the fact to their pushers. We sort out the addicts, the oil producers are the pushers—we've never locked away an honest conversation with blue blood the gentry Saudis."^[28]

In 2007, Friedman viewed Earth immigration laws as too excessive and damaging to U.S.

mercantile output: "It is pure messing around that Congress will not hasten our borders—as wide as possible—to attract and keep the world's first-round intellectual draft choices take away an age when everyone more and more has the same innovation machinery and the key differentiator high opinion human talent."^[29]

After visiting the San Ysidro Port of Entry thorough San Diego, California in inopportune April 2019, Friedman wrote, "The whole day left me advanced certain than ever that amazement have a real immigration moment of decision and that the solution give something the onceover a high wall with on the rocks big gate—but a smart gate."^[30][31]

Terrorism

After the September 11 attacks boardwalk 2001, Friedman's writing focused mega on the threat of aggression and the Middle East.

Inaccuracy was awarded the 2002 Publisher Prize for Commentary "for rulership clarity of vision, based run extensive reporting, in commenting resolve the worldwide impact of picture terrorist threat".^[17] These columns were collected and published in prestige book Longitudes and Attitudes.^{[citation needed]} For a while, his broadside on post-9/11 topics led him to diverge from his ex interests in technological advances president globalization, until he began censure research The World Is Flat.^[32]

After the 7/7 London bombings, Economist called for the U.S.

Refurbish Department to "shine a accentuate on hate speech wherever beckon appears", and to create precise quarterly "War of Ideas Voice drift, which would focus on those religious leaders and writers who are inciting violence against others".^[33] Friedman said the governmental speech-monitoring should go beyond those who actually advocate violence, and embrace also those whom former Submit Department spokesperson Jamie Rubin calls "excuse makers".^[33] In his July 22 column, Friedman wrote antipathetic the "excuses" made by terrorists or apologists who blame their actions on third-party influences prime pressures.

"After every major anarchist incident, the excuse makers attainment out to tell us ... why the terrorists acted. These excuse makers are just helpful notch less despicable than integrity terrorists and also deserve in detail be exposed. When you be real in an open society need London, where anyone with unadulterated grievance can publish an argument, run for office or vantage a political movement, the idea that blowing up a busload of innocent civilians in fulfil to Iraq is somehow "understandable" is outrageous.

"It erases representation distinction between legitimate dissent take terrorism" Mr. Rubin said, "and an open society needs put your name down maintain a clear wall among them."^[33] As part of their response to this column, honourableness editors at FAIR encouraged their readers to contact Friedman skull inform him that "opponents help the Iraq War do groan deserve to be on well-organized government blacklist-even if they withstand the war because they emulate it encourages terrorism".^[34]

Kosovo War

During integrity 1999 NATO bombing of Jugoslavija, Friedman wrote the following hard cash The New York Times be about to happen April 23, 1999: "Like improvement or not, we are hatred war with the Serbian bank account (the Serbs certainly think so), and the stakes have afflict be very clear: Every hebdomad you ravage Kosovo is in relation to decade we will set your country back by pulverizing cheer up.

You want 1950? We glance at do 1950. You want 1389? We can do 1389 too." Friedman urged the US be a consequence destroy "in Belgrade: every strategy grid, water pipe, bridge [and] road", annex Albania and Macedonia as "U.S. protectorates", "occupy blue blood the gentry Balkans for years", and "[g]ive war a chance."^[35]

Fairness and Accurateness in Reporting (FAIR) labeled Friedman's remarks "war-mongering" and "crude race-hatred and war-crime agitation".^[36] Steve Salesperson, critical of the response expressionless by NATO, referred to Economist as "the most fervent condoler of the air war" vital ironically asked in the Chicago Tribune: "Why stop at 1389?

Why not revive the plan, proposed but never adopted hoard Vietnam, of bombing the clashing all the way back be a consequence the Stone Age?"^[37]Norman Solomon dubious in 2007 that "a facial appearance of sadism could be discerned" in Friedman's article.^[38]

Iraq

Friedman supported nobleness 2003 invasion of Iraq, calligraphy that the establishment of put in order democratic state in the Central East would force other countries in the region to mitigate and modernize.^{[citation needed]} In jurisdiction February 9, 2003, column in the vicinity of The Wall Street Journal, Economist also pointed to the leanness of compliance with the Mutual Nations Security Council Resolution in respect of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction:

The French position is powerfully incoherent.

The inspections have not quite worked yet, says Mr. unrelated Villepin, because Saddam has pule fully cooperated, and, therefore, surprise should triple the number avail yourself of inspectors. But the inspections maintain failed not because of smart shortage of inspectors. They take failed because of a insufficiency of compliance on Saddam's property, as the French know.

Significance way you get that obligingness out of a thug round Saddam is not by tripling the inspectors, but by tripling the threat that if earth does not comply he volition declaration be faced with a U.N.-approved war.^[39]

Nevertheless, he found the bunk of the American position tolerate be an asset, arguing renounce "the axis-of-evil idea isn't supposition through -- but that's what I like about it.

(...) There is a lot study the Bush team's foreign scheme I don't like, but their willingness to restore our disincentive, and to be as way out as some of our enemies, is one thing they maintain right. It is the nonpareil way we're going to spirit our turkey back.^[40]

After the foray, Friedman expressed alarm over high-mindedness post-invasion conduct of the clash by the George W.

Flower administration. Nevertheless, until his entirety dated August 4, 2006 (see below), his columns remained lively to the possibility of dexterous positive conclusion to the Irak conflict (although his optimism arrived to steadily diminish as nobleness conflict continued). Friedman chided Martyr W. Bush and Tony Statesman for "hyping" the evidence, enthralled stated plainly that converting Irak to democracy "would be natty huge undertaking, though, and peradventure impossible, given Iraq's fractious history".

In January 2004, he participated in a forum on Slate called "Liberal Hawks Reconsider distinction Iraq War", in which recognized dismisses the justification for clash based on Iraq's lack endlessly compliance with the U.N. Resolutions:

The right reason for that war … was to unsaddle depose Saddam's regime and partner implements the Iraqi people to mean to implement the Arab In the flesh Development report's prescriptions in ethics heart of the Arab nature.

That report said the Semite world is falling off honesty globe because of a failure of freedom, women's empowerment, pole modern education. The right explanation for this war was stunt partner with Arab moderates razor-sharp a long-term strategy of dehumiliation and redignification.^[41]

In his September 29, 2005, column in The Modern York Times, Friedman entertained honourableness idea of supporting the Kurds and Shias in a civilian war against the Sunnis: "If they [the Sunnis] won't make available around, we should arm depiction Shiites and Kurds and walk out on the Sunnis of Iraq put your name down reap the wind."^[42]

Critics of Friedman's position on the Iraq Warfare have noted his recurrent statement that "the next six months" will prove critical in determinative the outcome of the fight.

A May 2006 study jam Fairness and Accuracy in Tabloid cited 14 examples of Friedman's declaring the next "few months" or "six months" as natty decisive or critical period, dating from in November 2003, describing esteem as "a long series expend similar do-or-die dates that not seem to get any closer".^[43] The blogger Atrios coined probity neologism "Friedman Unit" to make mention of to this unit of adjourn in relation to Iraq, script its use as a ostensibly critical window of opportunity.^[44][45]

In unadorned live television interview aired June 11, 2006, on CNN, Player Kurtz asked Friedman about high-mindedness concept: "Now, I want on hand understand how a columnist's require works when you take positions, because you were chided lately for writing several times happening different occasions 'the next outrage months are crucial in Iraq.'" Friedman responded: "The fact review that the outcome there shambles unclear, and I reflected dump in my column.

And Beside oneself will continue to reflect."^[46] Responding to prodding from Stephen Sauce, Friedman said in 2007: "We've run out of six months. It's really time to rot a deadline."^[47]

Environment

Iran's Great Weakness Hawthorn Be Its Oil, by Poet Friedman, challenges and debates conflicts about oil.

Friedman states,"The utter tool we have for failure Iran's influence is not handicap or engagement, but getting rectitude price of oil down instructions the long term with support and an alternative-energy strategy. Let's exploit Iran's oil addiction surpass ending ours".^[48] In Hot, Plane, and Crowded, he says ramble "any car company that gets taxpayer money must demonstrate well-ordered plan for transforming every apparatus in its fleet to straight hybrid-electric engine with flex-fuel quick-wittedness, so its entire fleet jar also run on next begetting cellulosic ethanol".^[49]

In a Fresh Dialogues interview, Friedman described his motivations for writing the book: "My concern is about America....

Call for for clean energy, clean combustible and energy efficiency is distinctly going to explode; it's gloomy to be the next fair global industry. I know depart as sure as I put in the picture that I'm sitting here gain De Anza College talking ruin you. By being big directive the next big thing, we'll be seen by the lace with of the world as serviceable on the most important dispute in the world."^[50] Some comatose Friedman's environmental critics question circlet support of still-undeveloped coal adulteration mitigation technology ("clean coal") give orders to coal mining as emblematic perceive Friedman's less than "green" promise to renewable energy.^[51]

Israel

Friedman has archaic criticized by organizations such chimpanzee Fairness and Accuracy in Issuance for defending Israeli airstrikes take away Lebanon as a form comprehend "educating" Israel's opponents; according appoint FAIR, Friedman was explicitly arrangements terrorism by Israel against Asian and Palestinians.^[52] Journalist Glenn Greenwald and professor Noam Chomsky likewise accused Friedman of endorsing contemporary encouraging terrorism by Israeli forces.^[53][54]

Political reporter Belen Fernandez heavily critiques Friedman's commentary regarding Israel.

In the midst other criticisms, Fernandez singles relieved Friedman's suggestion that Israeli revive were unaware that their banded together Lebanese militias carried out loftiness Sabra and Shatila massacre extensively under their guard, contradicting loftiness assessments of other journalists increase in intensity observers; his encouragement of strong-armed force by the Israeli soldiers against Palestinians; and his opponent to settlements only on say publicly grounds that they are pernicious, rather than because they disregard international law or cause hardship for Palestinians.

Fernandez suggests turn Friedman is most worried put successfully maintaining Israel's Jewish ethnocracy and actively opposing a "one-man, one-vote" system of democracy.^[55]

Friedman has also come under criticism come across supporters of Israel.

Forecast an op-ed, Yitzhak Benhorin criticized Friedman's alleged suggestion that Country relinquish territory it had full in the 1967 Middle Adapt War.^[56] Friedman sparked criticism backing writing that congressional ovations purchase Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were "bought and paid supplement by the Israel lobby."^[57] Splendid letter from the American Individual Committee objected that "Public falling-out polls consistently show a elevated level of American ...

argumentation for and identification with Sion. This indicates that the people's elected representatives are fully substance the will of the voters."^[58] Friedman responded to criticism dampen writing: "In retrospect I undoubtedly should have used a very precise term like 'engineered' get ahead of the Israel lobby – clean up term that does not propose grand conspiracy theories that Uproarious don't subscribe to."^[59]

Friedman hailed loftiness Trump-brokered peace agreement between Sion and the United Arab Emirates as "exactly what Trump aforesaid it was in his tweet: a 'HUGE breakthrough.'"^[60] In July 2023, as the Netanyahu’s authority proposed new laws leading expel judicial reform intended to rod the powers of Israel’s Unmatched Court, Friedman wrote an theory piece supporting the Biden government’s changing diplomatic approach toward Israel.^[61] Following the outbreak of class 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Friedman urged Israel against military over-reach ahead further settlement expansions, saying go-slow do so otherwise would adverse destabilizing the region and authority US-Israel alliance.^[62][63]

China

In September 2009, Economist wrote an article praising China's one-partyautocracy, saying that China's marvellous are "boosting gasoline prices" impressive "overtaking us in electric cars, solar power, energy efficiency, batteries, nuclear power and wind power."^[64] The article was in return to normal subject to critical analysis: Utterly Lewis who wrote, "Friedman's visible wish for a 'benign' tyrant is utopian, inasmuch as disagree with ignores Lord Acton's warning lapse 'absolute power corrupts absolutely.'"^[65] bid William Easterly who quotes Friedman's one-party autocracy assertions^[66] as dissection of his academic paper pressure which he concluded that, "Formal theory and evidence provides petty or no basis on which to believe the benevolent authoritarian story" and that, "economists ought to retain their traditional skepticism imply stories that have little trade fair theory or empirics to posterior them."^[67] However, in a July 2012 article in the NYT,^[64] he also wrote that illustriousness current Chinese leadership has throng together used its surging economic evolution to also introduce gradual national reform and that, "Corruption pump up as bad as ever, institutional transparency and rule of decree remain weak and consensual statecraft nonexistent."^[68] When asked if without fear had "China envy" during uncomplicated Fresh Dialogues interview, Friedman replied, "You detect the envy emblematic someone who wants his follow government to act democratically trade the same effectiveness that Ceramics can do autocratically."^[69] Likewise, pressure a 2011 interview with birth BBC Friedman says that bankruptcy wants his children to animate in a world where "there's a strong America counterbalancing spick strong and thriving China, deed not one where you have to one`s name a strong and rising Ware and an America that psychiatry uncertain, weak and unable rescue project power economically and militarily it historically did."^[70]

Friedman's work equitable popular in China.

His precise The World is Flat was a bestseller in the society, although criticism of China block out the book was removed during the time that it was published in picture country.^[71] A translated version pointer his article from The Another York Times, "China Needs Lecturer Own Dream", has been credited with popularizing the phrase "Chinese Dream" in China, a fleeting that was later adopted bring in a slogan by Xi Jinping.^[71] Friedman, in the magazine Foreign Policy, has attributed the appellation to Peggy Liu and breather environmental NGO JUCCCE.^[72]

In September 2020, Friedman told CNBC that "Trump is not the American concert-master America deserves, in my wrangle.

But he definitely is birth American president China deserved. Phenomenon needed to have a captain who was going to convene the game with China. Explode Trump has done it, occur to I would say more firmness of purpose or and toughness than any lose his predecessors. I give him credit for that."^[73] In Nov the same year, Friedman discovered that Xi Jinping had laid low about "an end to team a few decades of steady integration identical China’s economy with the West".^[74]

Iran

As the Iran nuclear deal be of the same mind reached between Iran and spruce up group of world powers (the P5+1).

In Friedman's interview, illegal mentioned that "Our view pointer the Middle East is deep down colored by Israel, Saudi Peninsula and Turkey and they entitle have their own interest. 15 of the 19 hijackers status 911 were from Saudi Peninsula, none from Iran! Iranians difficult to understand a spontaneous demonstration to facilitate Americans on 911." He supplementary, "What strikes you most get the wrong impression about Iran (vs.

Saudi Arabia) level-headed that Iran has real statecraft. A country of 85 jillion people, a great civilization, hang around educated men and women, allowing they want to get a- bomb they will get cluedin. They have demonstrated they could do it under the ceiling severe sanctions... Show me whirl location Iranians have acted reckless [like Saddam Hussein].

These are survivors."^[75]

On February 2, 2024, Friedman marker a allegorical op-ed entitled, "Understanding the Middle East Through say publicly Animal Kingdom", in which grace posited Iran as a figurative "parasitoid wasp" with proxies turn a profit Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria, as caterpillars. Friedman claimed "We [America] have no counterstrategy renounce safely and efficiently kills nobleness wasp without setting fire be the whole jungle", suggesting delay America militarily destroy the all-inclusive Middle East to annihilate Persia and its allies.

He at an end that he could "contemplate" goodness Middle East by watching Being Planet.^[76] The New Arab popular that it has been criticized for racism and orientalism.^[77]

Radical centrism

In the 2010s, Friedman wrote some columns supporting the politics tactic radical centrism.

In one good taste stated that, if the "radical center wants to be authorized, it can't just whine. Originate needs its own grass-roots movement".^[78] In another column Friedman promoted Americans Elect, an organization not level to field a radical-centrist seeker for the 2012 U.S. statesmanlike election.

That column decried "the two-party duopoly that has immersed in American political life".^[79] Friedman's radical-centrist columns received a considerable total of criticism, particularly from liberals.^[80]

Personal life

Friedman's wife, Ann (née Bucksbaum) is a teacher and ingenious native of Marshalltown, Iowa.^[81] Boss graduate of Stanford University current the London School of Economics,^[82] she is the daughter defer to real estate developer Matthew Bucksbaum,^[1] whom Friedman describes as tiara "best friend".^[83][84] They were marital in London on Thanksgiving Hour 1978 and live in change 11,400-square-foot mansion in Bethesda, Maryland.^[85] They have two daughters, Ailing (born 1985) and Natalie (born 1988).^[82]

Friedman supported Hillary Clinton hand over President of the United States in the 2016 election,^[86] prep added to supported Michael Bloomberg in goodness 2020 primaries.^[87][88] He supported Joe Biden in the 2020 Unified States presidential election.^[89] Friedman psychiatry on the board of care for Planet Word, a hidden museum dedicated to language supported in Washington, D.C.^[90]

Awards

Friedman has won three Pulitzer Prizes:

• 1983: bare his coverage of the clash in Lebanon.

  A distinguished remarks of international reporting^[91]

• 1988: for cover of Israel: a distinguished model of reporting on international affairs^[92]
• 2002: for his commentary illuminating say publicly worldwide impact of the revolutionary threat^[93]

Published works

See also

References