Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog

Period covered: 1JUL03 to 30JUN04

The review period was one of remarkable achievement for Prof. Barnett, as he continued to contribute significantly to Navy strategic planning while writing, on his own time, a book on national strategy that ultimately reached the NY Times best seller list. He handled his parallel efforts in the official and private spheres judiciously, seeking and following guidance whenever the possibility of conflict arose, and his external activities enhanced his contributions to the Navy, as the latter did the former.

Prof. Barnett continued to present his ideas to senior audiences throughout the defense community and to interact with military and civilian planners at all levels. Audiences for his official briefings, which numbered several dozen, included members of both Houses of the UK Parliament. He continued in his role as informal adviser to the Director, Office of Force Transformation, and has been invited to become a regular counselor to the Commander, US Special Operations Command. He was also involved in other projects of the WAR Department, facilitating a workshop for a Congressionally mandated study of Navy futures conducted by the Office of Force Transformation; designing and conducting an economic security exercise with prominent members of the Chicago business and academic communities sponsored by the Naval War College Foundation; and participating in a strategic planning effort for SSC SPAWAR San Diego. He taught an elective course, "Thinking Systematically about Alternative Global Futures," that received outstanding praise from students and won a teaching merit award.

Prof. Barnett's most notable external achievement was Putnam's publication of The Pentagon's New Map: War and Peace in the Twenty-First Century, which has been favorably reviewed in many publications and appeared on several best seller lists. He also published a second article in Esquire and was the subject of a front-page profile in the Wall Street Journal and a wide-published profile by the Associated Press. He has done numerous interviews for print, broadcast, and online media, including a dozen national and international TV appearances and roughly three dozen national and regional radio appearances. He has spoken to numerous private groups, participated in several conferences as keynote speaker, and taped a briefing for national broadcast on CSPAN.

These external activities enhance Prof. Barnett's contributions to the Naval War College, Navy, and national security community. His exposure to informed views across an array of communities and disciplines sharpens his understanding and provides valuable data points. The continual honing of his presentation skills increases his effectiveness in advising senior decision makers. And his identification with the Naval War College adds luster to the reputation of this institution and reflects favorably on the Navy's willingness to host and nurture independent thinkers. I recommend the College continue to recognize and support Prof. Barnett's work in every way possible.