First, we have a leadership problem. Regardless as to whether or not I think military action in Syria is a good idea or not, if a president is going to make big “red-line” statements, then he should do what he says he’s going to do. Or don’t say anything. Obama said he was going to … Continue reading Waffling on Syria
Syria, Chemical Weapons and the US Response
My source inside of Syria contacted me today. He’s a Syrian journalist in Damascus covering the ongoing civil war. He doesn’t want me to use his name, but I trust his information - I’ve literally put my life in his hands when I worked on a project in Damascus back in 2009. After giving me … Continue reading Syria, Chemical Weapons and the US Response
Six Reasons Why You MUST Travel
A big part of the work of Global Next involves the magic of travel. One of our primary programs is taking students and young professionals to international locations where we host leadership conferences. These conferences are held in places like Oxford University, Paris, Germany, Prague, Athens, Rome, Poland and Jerusalem. Each location offers a different … Continue reading Six Reasons Why You MUST Travel
Five Reasons Americans Should Care About What’s Happening in Egypt
The pursuit of democracy is messy. Sorting out a society when all you’ve had since you can remember is tyrannical dictatorships is going to take some time. Many of my colleagues in Egypt believed that they had achieved freedom and democracy on February 11, 2011, when President Mubarak was ousted. Not true. Removing Mubarak was … Continue reading Five Reasons Americans Should Care About What’s Happening in Egypt
Egypt in Context
Of course I have to blog about Egypt. My organization, Global Next, has an office in Cairo. We offer numerous training conferences and run an internship program there. I have witnessed first-hand the impact of the first revolution in 2011, the presidential election of 2012, the subsequent violence in the winter of 2013 and the … Continue reading Egypt in Context
Post Office Boxes and Wisdom
I was standing in the post office in Frisco, Texas, where I live. Standing just ahead of me was a man of, shall we say, advanced years. I do not know exactly how old he was - my conservative guess is somewhere around 112 years old. I do know that his youngest “child” was 65 … Continue reading Post Office Boxes and Wisdom
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?!
OK, I finally gave in. After much nagging from my friends, this is my first blog. So, I guess I need to introduce myself: Here’s what you need to know: My name is Phil Johnson. I founded an organization called Global Next. It’s a research group and leadership institute. I’m sure I’ll talk about it … Continue reading WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?!
The Global Nexter 