Re: WAR: appropriate first use (was: If we do get Afghanistan...)

From: hal@finney.org
Date: Mon Nov 26 2001 - 12:48:27 MST


Lee writes:
> No two countries with a "MacDonald's" franchise have ever gone to
> war against each other, democracies or otherwise.

This statement is generally attributed to Thomas Friedman, political
editor of the New York Times, writing in 1996. He referred to it as
his "Golden Arches" theory, and now describes it as tongue in cheek.
It has been suggested that the Bosnian war, in which NATO warplanes
bombed Serbian forces, contradicted the theory, and more generally
showed that American cultural domination would not automatically lead
to international peace.

A couple of stories:

The Age: Putting some myths to bed
http://www.theage.com.au/news/20000522/A9275-2000May21.html

Salon Media | Fallen Arches
http://www.salon.com/media/col/poni/1999/04/05/poni/

Hal



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