The job of US Secretary of State has become the worst job in the world due to geopolitical complexity; modern Secretaries of State (like Tony Blinken) face 'poly-actors' in every region—Hamas (military and political wings), Hezbollah (Lebanese political and militant wings), Syrian government, Iranians, Russians, and Turks—making diplomacy vastly more complicated than in the Cold War or post-Cold War eras.
causalpending
Speaker
Tom FriedmanEvidence Quote
“Tony blinkin sees double wherever he goes he goes to Gaza there's inside Hamas and outside Hamas military Hamas and political Hamas he goes to Lebanon there's the hisbah and the Lebanese government goes to Syria there's the Syrian government the Iranians in Syria the Russians in Syria and the Turks in Syria”
Source
Thomas Friedman on the Future of America and the World: The Post-Election Dissection (Part 1)— Intelligence SquaredCreated: 8/11/2026, 7:09:18 AM
My Notes
Loading notes...