The Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany is/was and will alway be a marmite character around the Globe. If you are Secretary of state and national security advisor to Republican Presidents in Nixon and Ford, it's fairly obvious what your remit is. Realpolitik really doesn't tell the contrast between carpet bombing Cambodia, supporting Pinochet and his army to defeat Allende with the killing and disappearance ot thousands of Chileans. In South America (and elsewhere) the USA elected government would always go with my enemy's enemy is our best friend and let off the right wing murderers and torturers. The CIA would alway pay a visit to encourage.
Yet Détente with the Russians and an easing of tensions with China on his watch; at least for a short time while there were enough bombs to destroy the world.
Born Heinz Kissinger 27/5/23 there were many varieties to this man and it depends where you stand if you hate or love.
I always find if you have nothing nice to say it’s better not saying anything at all on such threads.
It shouldn't be like that. If not for all the comments referring to what a "war criminal" he was, I wouldn't have known about it at all because here he was extremely highly regarded.
I always find if you have nothing nice to say it’s better not saying anything at all on such threads.
It shouldn't be like that. If not for all the comments referring to what a "war criminal" he was, I wouldn't have known about it at all because here he was extremely highly regarded.
I won't get too deep into this: but Nixon and Kissenger "normalizing" relations with Communist China is one of the things that somewhat complicates their legacy. It is a good thing, and they did what a lot of others either wouldn't or couldn't.
Now, that does not make up for Loas, Cambodia, Vietnam, Chile, Iran, and so on. Not even a little bit. But it is noteworthy.
I also recently learned that Nixon went back to China after he was President just to like, hang out. I guess he like genuinely got on well with some of the CCP leaders, which is weird both because Dick Nixon could be a very offputting man, and because he was an old school red baiter.
Anyway, I think there are people for whom the whole "if you don't have anything nice to say..." applies when they die. But my grandmother kvetching about how we didn't call her enough isn't really in the same league as one of (if not the) worst war criminals of the 20th century. That's the guy where you should remember him exactly for who he was. With my grandma, we tried to focus more on her excellent Matzo Ball soup recipe (and, weirdly enough, the fact that she was very pro-integration, but that's another story).
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RIP
If you are Secretary of state and national security advisor to Republican Presidents in Nixon and Ford, it's fairly obvious what your remit is.
Realpolitik really doesn't tell the contrast between carpet bombing Cambodia, supporting Pinochet and his army to defeat Allende with the killing and disappearance ot thousands of Chileans. In South America (and elsewhere) the USA elected government would always go with my enemy's enemy is our best friend and let off the right wing murderers and torturers. The CIA would alway pay a visit to encourage.
Yet Détente with the Russians and an easing of tensions with China on his watch; at least for a short time while there were enough bombs to destroy the world.
Born Heinz Kissinger 27/5/23 there were many varieties to this man and it depends where you stand if you hate or love.
It'll be bloody hot where he is now.
War criminal and nothing less.
I wasn't a big Anthony Bourdain guy, but I'm sad he didn't live to celebrate this day.
Now, that does not make up for Loas, Cambodia, Vietnam, Chile, Iran, and so on. Not even a little bit. But it is noteworthy.
I also recently learned that Nixon went back to China after he was President just to like, hang out. I guess he like genuinely got on well with some of the CCP leaders, which is weird both because Dick Nixon could be a very offputting man, and because he was an old school red baiter.
Anyway, I think there are people for whom the whole "if you don't have anything nice to say..." applies when they die. But my grandmother kvetching about how we didn't call her enough isn't really in the same league as one of (if not the) worst war criminals of the 20th century. That's the guy where you should remember him exactly for who he was. With my grandma, we tried to focus more on her excellent Matzo Ball soup recipe (and, weirdly enough, the fact that she was very pro-integration, but that's another story).