Kissinger, not Killinger

来源: renqiulan 2023-11-30 18:13:23 [] [博客] [旧帖] [给我悄悄话] 本文已被阅读: 次 (1985 bytes)
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This is the beauty of American politics: No matter how ugly you want to say a politician is, you can---thanks to the First Amendment, i.e., free speech.

Of course, free speech is not necessarily fair speech. Anyway, Henry Kissinger had to put up with his unpalatable nickname "Killinger," courtesy of the anti-Vietnam war crowd.

Ironically, though, "Killinger" ended up as a Nobel peace prize winner precisely because he had played a key role in pulling American forces out of Vietnam. Never mind that even today this Nobel thing still sounds like a bad joke to dovish liberals. (Please don't ask me who got the last laugh. I honestly have no idea.)


I happen to know, though, Kissinger didn't quite manage to placate hawkish conservatives who accused him of being a sellout to the PRC at the expense of American interests however defined.

Cancel culture left and right, I suspect, began with Kissinger who found himself caught in the partisan crossfire. That's not unexpected, however, if you happen to be an ambitious political middleman. By the way, there's no angel in politics, even though Abraham Lincoln had once publicly appealed to the better angels of our nature.

For the record, Washington, D.C, was originally a mosquito-infested swamp. That being said, every four years we'll still hear presidential candidates vowing to clean up this politically swampy place. "Some things never change."


Author: renqiulan 

 

 

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I guess he had a sense of huge achievement after -唐宋韵- 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 18:54:05

shaking hand with PRC. And being an "old friend of -唐宋韵- 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 18:55:35

Chinese people" is most enjoyable in his last 30 years. -唐宋韵- 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 18:56:46

Thank you, 唐宋韵! You have a point. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 19:37:46

The elephant in the room was the former Soviet Union. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 19:38:26

The term "Old China Hand" applies to the late Kissinger. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 19:40:14

My reading of Kissinger is that he was quite a -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 19:41:34

skilled and deft player in the game of realpolitik. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 19:42:47

秋兰you are right. He is absolutely an exceptional diplomat. -唐宋韵- 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:17:55

His role in international politics was special. RIP. -唐宋韵- 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:21:27

Regarding Kissinger, this is what I am impressed most: -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:29:52

He knew he was pursuing peace between wars. He's a realist. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:31:28

Cool Hand Henry, I would say. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:28:07

谢谢分享,占位点赞,明天细看。 -盈盈一笑间- 给 盈盈一笑间 发送悄悄话 盈盈一笑间 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:07:52

谢谢盈盈,晚安! -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:21:14

秋兰,this is such a great write! Thank you for sharing. -CBA7- 给 CBA7 发送悄悄话 CBA7 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:32:08

Many interesting points and turns are addressed -CBA7- 给 CBA7 发送悄悄话 CBA7 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:34:16

in a short piece with a great sense of humor, -CBA7- 给 CBA7 发送悄悄话 CBA7 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:35:49

from title to the end. Really a delightful read! -CBA7- 给 CBA7 发送悄悄话 CBA7 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:37:43

Thank you, 小西! Kissinger was an advocate-cum-practitioner of -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:38:27

the balance-of-power theory espoused by his most favorite -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:39:31

diplomat, Austrian Prince Metternich who shined in the -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:40:36

post-Waterloo Vienna Congress of 1815. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:42:19

I like Kissinger the historian better. Goodnight! -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:42:50

That makes sense. Good night! -CBA7- 给 CBA7 发送悄悄话 CBA7 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 21:13:13

You're not only a great writer but also a great historian! -CBA7- 给 CBA7 发送悄悄话 CBA7 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:47:40

秋兰,you should run for President of the United States :) -CBA7- 给 CBA7 发送悄悄话 CBA7 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:48:59

I prefer to be a First Gentleman, with my wife -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:28:43

being a U.S. president. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:29:32

Hahaha, good idea, lady first! 期待! -CBA7- 给 CBA7 发送悄悄话 CBA7 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 19:59:33

Honestly, I'm neither. But thanks for your kind words. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:24:49

You're always so humble. -CBA7- 给 CBA7 发送悄悄话 CBA7 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 20:01:49

A legendary diplomat! I read his book On China, thick book -天玉之- 给 天玉之 发送悄悄话 天玉之 的博客首页 (31 bytes) () 11/30/2023 postreply 20:47:42

Thank you, 天玉之 ! I have read his "On China" too, and -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:32:32

this is my criticism: his thesis is nowhere near -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:34:34

ground-breaking. Of course, he never forgot to highlight his -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:38:22

role. I don't blame him. China was his baby. The decisive -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:39:27

agent of change was geopolitics. I think I've written -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:40:42

a review of this book. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:41:23

Great to read! Just heard NPR talking about -godog- 给 godog 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 07:19:12

his biggest stain on helping to topple Chile's -godog- 给 godog 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 07:20:28

democratically elected president because he was socialist -godog- 给 godog 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 07:22:03

True. It was a U.S.-backed coup against a democratically -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:43:07

elected Marxist president of Chile, who's pro-Russia. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:46:15

The film "Missing" (1982) could be an indictment of Nixon. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:52:07

Thanks, just know his nickname :)) -卫宁- 给 卫宁 发送悄悄话 卫宁 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 09:42:21

You're welcome, 卫宁 ! Kissinger couldn't please everyone, -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:56:37

especially being Nixon's National Security Advisor and then -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:57:41

Secretary of State. The nickname "Killinger" stuck. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:58:59

every 4 years we'll still hear presidential candidates... :) -暖冬cool夏- 给 暖冬cool夏 发送悄悄话 暖冬cool夏 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 13:55:01

It seems that people like being cheated yr ovr yr.秋兰好文,百通! -暖冬cool夏- 给 暖冬cool夏 发送悄悄话 暖冬cool夏 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 13:57:44

Thank you, 暖冬cool夏 ! "Drain the swamp!" Never mind -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 19:01:52

we have heard this motivating mantra a million times. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 19:02:43

Washington, D.C, was originally a mosquito-infested swamp. -盈盈一笑间- 给 盈盈一笑间 发送悄悄话 盈盈一笑间 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:34:28

Some things never change.原来川普不是第一人。:) -盈盈一笑间- 给 盈盈一笑间 发送悄悄话 盈盈一笑间 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 18:36:08

Thank you again, 盈盈 ! The night is still young, I hope. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 19:04:30

"原来川普不是第一人。" 太阳之下无新事吧。 -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 19:06:50

秋兰好,日光之下无新事。日光之上呢?:)) -盈盈一笑间- 给 盈盈一笑间 发送悄悄话 盈盈一笑间 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 19:27:19

God knows. -renqiulan- 给 renqiulan 发送悄悄话 renqiulan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 19:35:31

哈哈:) -暖冬cool夏- 给 暖冬cool夏 发送悄悄话 暖冬cool夏 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 12/01/2023 postreply 19:44:31

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