Thomas Lauren Friedman (born July 20, 1953) is an American author and columnist. He is an op-ed contributor to The New York Times, whose column appears twice weekly and mainly addresses topics on foreign affairs. Friedman is known for supporting a compromise resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, modernization of the Arab world, environmentalism and globalization. Although an early supporter of the invasion of Iraq, he later became an outspoken critic of the war and the Bush administration.