"McDonald's cannot flourish without McDonnell Douglas, the designer of the F-15"

This quote by Thomas Friedman is referring to the interconnectedness of the international economic situation. He is recommending that McDonald's, a junk food restaurant, can not be successful without the help of McDonnell Douglas, a major aerospace and defense service provider. This is due to the fact that the success of McDonald's counts on the success of McDonnell Douglas, as the latter is the developer of the F-15 fighter jet. The F-15 is a significant part of the United States military, and its success is crucial for the United States to preserve its worldwide existence. Consequently, the success of McDonnell Douglas is important for the success of McDonald's, as the United States military's success is important for the success of the global economic situation. This quote is a suggestion of the interconnectedness of the international economic situation, and just how the success of one company can be depending on the success of one more.