Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger passed away yesterday at the age of 100. Today, I talk about his legacy. I discuss the many horrors that were inflicted around the world on his watch, especially in the Middle East with the current Israel-Hamas War, and why he will not be remembered fondly:
Can’t argue with your thoughts about Kissinger. But let’s not gloss over Dick Cheney and the men and women of both America and Iraq that were lost their lives in an ill-fated, ill-planned, and totally unnecessary war.
Personally, I think he should have been tried for compliance with war crimes. One of the most horrible men to have ever served as a political appointee.
After listening to Andrea,Mitchell on MSNBC this morning discussing the legacy of Kissinger, your analysis and commentary was like a breathe of fresh air. Thank you.
Andrea Mitchell, wife of Alan Greenspan-age 97, is of the Kissinger generation! Of course, she would sing the praises of Henry Kissinger. Both men “served” during the Nixon era.
It is difficult to understand why no one could out-size Kissinger's influence over critical diplomacy/national security matters. Our nation is still impacted because of his serious missteps.
Think you are great and depend on your vast info on histories. Yet, for Kissinger’s write-up, I just skipped it and passed on. Dr. Kissinger may have been well-schooled in our country, but he was thoughtless many times about helping peoples around the World. He never shared his advantages with his fellow mankind! Henry Kissinger was a very ambitious man for HIMSELF!
Time to turn the page to decency and truth. I hope I see it turn around in U.S politics in my lifetime, but I gotta say it’s not looking too good currently. We the people need to take charge because there’s more of us than them.
Nice job, Steve. Many Americans who came of age during the Vietnam war are still cynical about the government and we have people like Kissinger to thank for that. On the world stage the United States war in Vietnam led to a tarnished reputation that we still have not recovered. Yet, I’m afraid that your analysis will be overshadowed by glorious accounts of his role in other areas of foreign policy.
He was turning 100 but he still did his dirty business by speaking on behalf of Putin, putting his full weight on advocating for Ukraine giving up its territory after the full scale war in February 2022.
While watching the eulogies on msnbc, cnn and npr I couldn’t help wondering if I am so how remembering the wrong guy. I’m 80 and was pretty active in the anti war demos of the late 60s through his peace at hand giving Nixon his reelection to running out of Saigon.
As to the Middle East, I can rephrase what you said, but will not be as well phrased.
However, we will all be paying for future decades the breaking of Iraq.
W who was enamored by former Nixon, HW and Reagan cabinet members only needed to hear Henry repeating the same BS as was Chaney for him to go in and break the Middle East, made Iran stronger, made Iraq a basket case and Syria a cesspool mix of Putin, Assad ISIS and mullahs.
Cheney's twisted, crawling, slanted, sinister shape of mouth gave us all the creeps!
No creature of the fishes, no pirhanas, no primordial ,armoured, prehistoric iron scaled creature 7 miles down was as ugly a mouth. No sharks have such diabolically ugly mouths.
His dead, expressionless face would have scared off Godzilla.
Humorless, never able to smile-- much less laugh--, he exuded sadism, cruelty & bottomless depths of a terrifyingly depraved soul.
"Being smart is not a virtue; being decent is." Wonderfully said. And as I write, I realize the words "rich", "powerful", "beautiful", etc. could replace "smart" and used in many examples. A bonus! Thank you, Steve.
Thanks, Lisa.... Steve gets credit for opening the door :) . I think sometimes the layers of virtue we are taught, which become the bedrock of our personal foundation, are overlooked. When instilled in us as small children we might not remember learning, but in our gut know that something is wrong. Steve's comment provided the unlocking of that door. Let's spread the word!
Yes, spread the word! Right away, as a middle-school teacher, I could envision these interchangeable words written on cards that students could use, particularly in groups, to consider and discuss these most important and core understandings.
Kissinger was the antithesis of Carter, who served the ordinary person well into his 90's; Whereas Kissinger served himself (ego and pocketbook) until his death at 100. These ongoing deaths of the "greatest generation" and the order they brought to the world is mostly troubling to me, but now and again there is a death of someone from that generation that makes me sigh, "Finally, at last; we are free from their yoke!"
Can’t argue with your thoughts about Kissinger. But let’s not gloss over Dick Cheney and the men and women of both America and Iraq that were lost their lives in an ill-fated, ill-planned, and totally unnecessary war.
Personally, I think he should have been tried for compliance with war crimes. One of the most horrible men to have ever served as a political appointee.
After listening to Andrea,Mitchell on MSNBC this morning discussing the legacy of Kissinger, your analysis and commentary was like a breathe of fresh air. Thank you.
Andrea Mitchell, wife of Alan Greenspan-age 97, is of the Kissinger generation! Of course, she would sing the praises of Henry Kissinger. Both men “served” during the Nixon era.
That is what Andrea knew!
It is difficult to understand why no one could out-size Kissinger's influence over critical diplomacy/national security matters. Our nation is still impacted because of his serious missteps.
Steve,
Think you are great and depend on your vast info on histories. Yet, for Kissinger’s write-up, I just skipped it and passed on. Dr. Kissinger may have been well-schooled in our country, but he was thoughtless many times about helping peoples around the World. He never shared his advantages with his fellow mankind! Henry Kissinger was a very ambitious man for HIMSELF!
Time to turn the page to decency and truth. I hope I see it turn around in U.S politics in my lifetime, but I gotta say it’s not looking too good currently. We the people need to take charge because there’s more of us than them.
Nice job, Steve. Many Americans who came of age during the Vietnam war are still cynical about the government and we have people like Kissinger to thank for that. On the world stage the United States war in Vietnam led to a tarnished reputation that we still have not recovered. Yet, I’m afraid that your analysis will be overshadowed by glorious accounts of his role in other areas of foreign policy.
He was turning 100 but he still did his dirty business by speaking on behalf of Putin, putting his full weight on advocating for Ukraine giving up its territory after the full scale war in February 2022.
While watching the eulogies on msnbc, cnn and npr I couldn’t help wondering if I am so how remembering the wrong guy. I’m 80 and was pretty active in the anti war demos of the late 60s through his peace at hand giving Nixon his reelection to running out of Saigon.
As to the Middle East, I can rephrase what you said, but will not be as well phrased.
However, we will all be paying for future decades the breaking of Iraq.
W who was enamored by former Nixon, HW and Reagan cabinet members only needed to hear Henry repeating the same BS as was Chaney for him to go in and break the Middle East, made Iran stronger, made Iraq a basket case and Syria a cesspool mix of Putin, Assad ISIS and mullahs.
A sadist must improve his sadism and become even more sadistic, just as a decent person must try to improve their decency.
It will always be so.
Thus spake Moi.
Cheney's twisted, crawling, slanted, sinister shape of mouth gave us all the creeps!
No creature of the fishes, no pirhanas, no primordial ,armoured, prehistoric iron scaled creature 7 miles down was as ugly a mouth. No sharks have such diabolically ugly mouths.
His dead, expressionless face would have scared off Godzilla.
Humorless, never able to smile-- much less laugh--, he exuded sadism, cruelty & bottomless depths of a terrifyingly depraved soul.
"Being smart is not a virtue; being decent is." Wonderfully said. And as I write, I realize the words "rich", "powerful", "beautiful", etc. could replace "smart" and used in many examples. A bonus! Thank you, Steve.
Karen, I really like where you went with this! Thanks :-)
Thanks, Lisa.... Steve gets credit for opening the door :) . I think sometimes the layers of virtue we are taught, which become the bedrock of our personal foundation, are overlooked. When instilled in us as small children we might not remember learning, but in our gut know that something is wrong. Steve's comment provided the unlocking of that door. Let's spread the word!
Yes, spread the word! Right away, as a middle-school teacher, I could envision these interchangeable words written on cards that students could use, particularly in groups, to consider and discuss these most important and core understandings.
Lisa, very cool! My sister is a HS teacher/librarian. Let me know how it turns out. What a great way to start a Friday.
Yes, and enjoy your weekend. Inspiration feels great -thanks :-)
You as well!
Kissinger was the antithesis of Carter, who served the ordinary person well into his 90's; Whereas Kissinger served himself (ego and pocketbook) until his death at 100. These ongoing deaths of the "greatest generation" and the order they brought to the world is mostly troubling to me, but now and again there is a death of someone from that generation that makes me sigh, "Finally, at last; we are free from their yoke!"
Death delayed is not denied. Humanity had to put up with Kissinger long enough.
You are so right.
Long overdue. Goodbye Henry. We knew ye all too well.