by Bhaskar Sunkara and Jonah Walters, The Guardian
Henry Kissinger turns 100 on Saturday, but his legacy has never been in worse shape. Though many commentators now speak of a “tortured and deadly legacy”, for decades Kissinger was lauded by all quarters of the political and media establishment.
A teenage Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Germany, Kissinger charted an unlikely path to some of the most powerful positions on Earth. Even more strangely, as national security adviser and secretary of state under Nixon and Ford, he became something of a pop icon.
Back then, one fawning profile of the young statesman cast him as “the sex symbol of the Nixon administration”. In 1969, according to the profile, Kissinger attended a party full of Washington socialites with an envelope marked “Top Secret” tucked under his arm. The other party guests could hardly contain their curiosity, so Kissinger deflected their questions with a quip: the envelope contained his copy of the latest Playboy magazine. (Hugh Hefner apparently found this hilarious and thereafter ensured that the national security adviser got a free subscription.)
Recent Posts
Voters in Key States See AI Campaign Cash as More Politically Toxic Than AIPAC: Poll
Take Action Now “Candidates should seek support from the AI industry at their own peril.”By Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Polling data released…
Everything You’ve Been Told About Lethal Injection Is a Lie
Take Action Now Death by drugs is brutal—and designed for political optics. Christa Pike’s failed execution pulled back the curtain.By Arianna…
British Support For Israel Is Shattering
Take Action Now There is not a single member of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who believes that Israel, under any leadership, would allow a…
I’ve Covered Death Row Cases for Nearly a Decade. What Happened to Christa Pike Wasn’t an Anomaly.
Take Action Now Several states have faced questions about the competence of their execution teams as major medical organizations have opposed…