The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate pdfdrive com

Mitteleuropa
writ
large across the globe. Just as Stephen Dedalus affirms “his significance as a
conscious rational animal,” in effect resisting fate, we must never give in to
geography, but must fundamentally be aware of it in our quest for a better world.
For the yearning after the Post Cold War ideal of a cosmopolitan Central Europe
which informed the beginning of this study is where we are at the end of it.
Whether or not that goal is achievable, it is something always worth striving for,
hopefully with Mexico by our side. Mackinder intuited this in his call for vibrant
and independent buffer states between Maritime Europe and the Heartland,
noting that a world balanced is a world free.

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TO THE MEMORY OF
HARVEY SICHERMAN
1945–2010
PRESIDENT
,
FOREIGN POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
,
PHILADELPHIA

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Acknowledgments
The idea for this book originated in a magazine article, the impetus for which
came from the editors at 
Foreign Policy
, notably Christian Brose and Susan
Glasser. As the book developed, a shortened version of the China chapter ran as
a cover story in 
Foreign Affairs
, for which I thank James F. Hoge Jr., Gideon
Rose, and Stephanie Giry. The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) in
Washington published a paper that was a shortened version of the India chapter,
for which I thank Kristen Lord, vice president and director of studies there. In
fact, the book could not have been completed without the institutional support I
received from CNAS, for which I thank CEO Nathaniel Fick, President John
Nagl, and Director of Development Venilde Jeronimo. Sections of the Preface
are adapted from several previous books of mine, as noted on the copyright
page. Throughout this editorial process, help and inspiration came from Jakub
Grygiel at the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of the Johns
Hopkins University. Other help came from Army Lieutenant General (Retired)
Dave Barno, CNAS senior advisor Richard Fontaine, former CNAS researcher
Seth Myers, 
Atlantic
editors James Gibney and Yvonne Rolzhausen, Naval
Academy professor Stephen Wrage, and Professor Brian W. Blouet of the
College of William and Mary.
At Random House, my editor, Jonathan Jao, provided seasoned advice on all
fronts. Kate Medina also provided encouragement. Once more, I thank my
literary agents, Carl D. Brandt and Marianne Merola, for their assistance in
helping to guide me from one project to another.
Elizabeth Lockyer, my assistant, worked on the maps. My wife, Maria Cabral,
once again provided emotional support.

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