Back to Gideon RachmanI think I’m going to take the precaution of closing the comments section on this posting, before I open it - so to speak.
But, a couple of final thoughts. First, I am amazed by how many people read that article as a passionate call for the formation of a world government, rather than a dispassionate discussion of the possibility. I began to wonder if I had misunderstood my own article. But I was re-assured (if that’s the word), by a discussion with my sister, who described the piece as - “A slightly dull discussion of a school-boy debating topic that went - on the one hand, on the other hand, probably not.” That seems fair enough to me.
But - amidst all my whinging about my flame mail - I would like to thank my critics for introducing me to a good, new word. Despite being ardent defenders of “democracy” in the abstract, many of these people seem deeply contemptuous of American voters who are stupid enough to do things like vote for Barack Obama, or fail to realise that they are being hoaxed over global warming. These people are dismissed as blind followers of the elite and so are referred to as “the sheeple”, rather than the people. I like that.
This blog covers a variety of topics from US foreign policy to European politics and the Middle East - and whatever else happens to be in the news or catch my attention. I joined the FT as chief foreign affairs commentator in 2006, after a 15-year career at The Economist which included stints as a correspondent in Brussels, Bangkok and Washington. I write a weekly column on foreign affairs, which appears in the paper on Tuesdays. Occasionally my FT colleagues contribute posts to this blog.
Geoff Dyer is the FT's China bureau chief. He has been a correspondent in Shanghai and in Brazil and has also covered the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industries from London.
Roula Khalaf is the FT's Middle East editor. She has worked for the FT since 1995, first as North Africa correspondent, then Middle East correspondent and most recently as Middle East editor. Before joining the FT, she was a staff writer for Forbes magazine in New York. 
James Blitz is the FT's defence and diplomatic editor. He has been the FT's political editor, based in London, and Rome bureau chief. James is a former Moscow bureau chief for the Sunday Times.
Alan Beattie is the FT's world trade editor. He has previously been economics leader writer and spent two years in Washington DC as chief US economics correspondent. Before joining the FT, Alan was an economist at the Bank of England. 
Victor Mallet is the FT's Madrid bureau chief. He is a former Asia editor of the FT, and, in more than 20 years at the organisation, has also worked in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. In 1990 he escaped from Kuwait after being one of the few foreign correspondents there when Iraq invaded. 
Stefan Wagstyl is the FT's eastern Europe editor, co-ordinating coverage of the region. He has also been the FT's bureau chief in Tokyo and New Delhi.
