The sheer amount of damage Henry Kissinger inflicted on the sane functioning of Western politicians brains is staggering.
He is not a sagacious "strategic thinker," but a real world Grima Wormtongue, and should be treated as such.
He is not a sagacious "strategic thinker," but a real world Grima Wormtongue, and should be treated as such.
Now, some may still be critical of the first, but his role in Yom Kippur War was absolutely critical in brokering peace.
1. The South folded in the first place because he persuaded Nixon to lose the war
2. Egyptians expected Nixon to be weak on Israel (and they likely knew Kissinger would play a role in that,) and force them to give up Sinai. They succeded.
Have you seen his "brilliance" yourself? No, and these people didn't either.
Many people who credit him don't actually know a thing what his political theories are.
He was an extremely good networker though. He took credit for things he didn't do to raise his stature among US elites, which he then used to solicit other people giving him more credit. He liked to collect recommendations, and introductions.
His "Realpolitik" was mostly about how to strategically backstab allies for "geopolitial considerations" only he can see, or understand, but really they were just bullshit he made up to cover for failings of Nixon administration.
His political theories don't make sense on closer examination, but they were used to grow 3 generations of US state department officials, who were told of them as truth in its last instance.
In other words, this man is the reason why a lot of US state department officials have porridge for brains.