All one needs to do is just to go to any hospital in America and see the number of Pakistani or Indian or Lebanese, or Syrian, or Egyptian doctors, who are either first generation or themselves immigrants, to know, and I'm a big believer - brains are distributed evenly around the world. What aren't distributed evenly are opportunities, stable government, educational institutions, etc.
Thomas FriedmanI've always believed the world would be a better place if more people everywhere have a chance to shape their own future and realize their full potential. I think that is what life is about.
Thomas FriedmanRemember, in China when you are one in a million, there are 1,300 other people just like you.
Thomas FriedmanThe Arab awakening was like watching elephants fly: something you didn't expect, something you haven't seen before, "Wow, elephants fly."
Thomas FriedmanTap into people's dignity and they will do anything for you. Ignore it, and they won't lift a finger.
Thomas FriedmanAmerica was the funder of petro-dictatorships. We treated all these countries as basically big, large gas stations: Libya station, Iraq station, Iran station, Egypt station, Syria station, and all we asked of them were three things: Keep your palms open, your prices low and don't bother Israel too much, and you can do whatever you want to your own people.
Thomas Friedman