Today, we share a series of perspectives on the Kissinger legacy. He died at age 100. Obituaries often recognize the best in people, but for Kissinger … there are few “bests” and much pain. Although his legacy is mainly composed of a trail of pain imposed on many countries, both dictatorships and democracies, we must remember that American lives were lost, too. For rural America, which provides 44% of the American military, some of our soldiers’ lives were lost that, at the time, some thought were good causes. Now, not so much!
Kissinger’s legacy left a trail of costly mistakes that hurt the U.S. reputation, caused countries to distrust us, and left a trail of pain in many places.
There were many mistakes, but in some cases, his mistakes could become lessons we can learn from, e.g., Kissinger’s triumphs and mistakes may be able to help guide us in Gaza and China.
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Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times: Lessons From Kissinger’s Triumphs and Catastrophes
“Unfortunately” is entirely too weak of a word to use to describe Kissinger’s legacy. We in America still bear the burden of his decisions: 500,000 tons of explosives dropped on Cambodia — 150,000 dead civilians, resulting in the rise of the Khmer Rouge who killed 2 million people; support for a coup that over-turned a democratic-elected government in Chile; and other wrong-headed decisions, not limited to West and East Pakistan, East Timor (Indonesia) and illegal torture under George W. Bush. The legacy? America was hurt, too. “The best obituaries of the diplomat have emphasized his role in spreading misery.” When civilians are caught in America’s dirty work, they remember.
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Jamelle Bouie, The New York Times: Kissinger’s Dirty Work Hurt America, too
The “lucky” children of exiles forced by Kissinger’s “dirty work” escape to new countries, adapt to new languages, and crowd into new schools, but they remember. In many cases, America is better off for how these children adjust and learn, but the pain remains or is learned from lost parents or parents who had to start over as they escaped to begin again.
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Eduardo Porter, The Washingon Post: The Global South hasn’t forgotten Kissinger
“Lauded for his strategic insights, the former secretary of state is better remembered for his callousness toward the victims of global conflict.”
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Gary J. Bass, The Atlantic: The People Who Didn’t Matter to Henry Kissinger