RIP Henry Kissinger 100

[El Presidente]

Henry Kissinger: A
man for the times

HUGH WHITE

Driven by a European-style statecraft, one of America’s
most controversial figures shaped modern US foreign policy.

 

US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger en route from Egypt to Israel on 27 September 1975 du6ring negotiations over the return of Sinai to Egypt (David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images)

Few people today can recall the time when Henry Kissinger conceived and executed America’s foreign policy as National Security Adviser and Secretary of State between 1969 and 1977. But what he did then – and not his long decades on the sidelines since – is what counts in assessing his career.

 

CONTINUED

[Namisgr11]

A complex legacy indeed.  Opened relations with China, arranged detente with the Soviet Union, and oversaw the ending of the Vietnam War.  But those of us of high school age or older at the time will never forget the bombing of Cambodia that killed hundreds of thousands of civilians, accomplished little to nothing militarily, and facilitated the rise to power of the Khmer Rouge.

[Ken Gargett]

fairly extraordinary life. he did seem like Teflon. no matter what, avoided the crap. neat trick if you can manage it. mind you, with nixon performing one of the great car wrecks of the aamerican presidency, probably wasn't hard to just keep quiet and point fingers.

friend of mine knew him through her ex-husband. not a fan. but guys like that will always divide a crowd. i suspect history will treat him better than many of his peers. 

[Drguano]

One of my University era understandings, that the character Dr. Strangelove was based on Henry Kissinger has been debunked. Now some people believe the opposite, that Kissinger modeled himself on Dr. Strangelove.

[Vetteman]

"I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people. The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves."

Henry Kissinger 1970


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[MadMax]

Kissinger was the one leaking all the Nixon cabinet meeting discussions to the Washington Compost! 

[ned]

One of the greatest war mongers ever. He was on the express to the depths of hell for all that he did.

[cigcars]

8 hours ago, ned said:

One of the greatest war mongers ever. He was on the express to the depths of hell for all that he did.

   *I know that I never forgot or forgave him for his reckless advisory to Nixon to bomb Cambodia - for WHAT!!??   Although I would never wish anyone into Hell - he was a hard one to, as the ancients would put it - to wish his gray hairs into sheol in peace.

[Ken Gargett]

On 12/2/2023 at 4:28 AM, MadMax said:

Kissinger was the one leaking all the Nixon cabinet meeting discussions to the Washington Compost! 

is there any evidence for that? not something i had heard and i can't find anything confirming it. given his antagonism to the post and the nyt after the pentagon papers, it seems a stretch. not disputing it happened, but would be keen to see some evidence. 

 

20 hours ago, ned said:

One of the greatest war mongers ever. He was on the express to the depths of hell for all that he did.

again, i don't think it is as simple as that. no question that he had some massive flaws and was responsible for some atrocious disasters - Cambodia, central and south America will attest to that, but different and difficult times and he was also responsible for some great achievements. getting nixon into china and opening up that country. the efforts at mid east peace (yes, all looks shaky especially at the moment, but had he not, who knows what might have happened) and perhaps most importantly detante with Russia (i guess technically the USSR). there is a lot of support for the view that this was the start of what became the collapse of the USSR and also allowed huge strides in reducing the danger of nuclear war. those old enough will remember that both sides seemed convinced the other intended to bomb them back to the stone age and we did come very close a number of times. kissenger was responsible, at least partly, for reducing the tension. 

i'd also suggest that his background gave him a very different view of the world to that enjoyed by most of us - a young german fleeing the nazis (might explain his attitude towards some more recent figures of history). also, he was not just purely on one side of politics. after nixon, carter soon brought him on board as an advisor. 

he was also responsible for a quote i have always loved, after he became famous. "now when i am boring at parties, people think it is their fault".