Hand in Hand With Kissinger: A Review of Hillary Clinton’s Review

[marmar]

from truthdig:


Hand in Hand With Kissinger: A Review of Hillary Clinton’s Review

Posted on Sep 11, 2014
By Sonali Kolhatkar


If Hillary Clinton’s latest book, “Hard Choices,” was not an obvious enough sign of her presidential aspirations, then her recent Washington Post review of Henry Kissinger’s new book, “World Order,” seems to have sealed the deal. In it, Clinton builds on her already hawkish tenure as secretary of state to prove she can bang the drums of war harder than President Obama and that she can embrace a diplomatic approach so iron-fisted as to put her in the same league as a man that Christopher Hitchens called “a war criminal.”

Clinton begins by asserting that Kissinger’s view of the world is in line with hers and Obama’s because it “largely fits with the broad strategy behind the Obama administration’s effort over the past six years to build a global architecture of security and cooperation for the 21st century.” She continues in this same vein later, proudly stating that “what comes through clearly in this new book is a conviction that we, and President Obama, share: a belief in the indispensability of continued American leadership in service of a just and liberal order.”

Kissinger was Richard Nixon’s national security adviser and secretary of state—a position he continued under President Gerald Ford. There have been books written (Hitchens, Gary J. Bass, Lubna Z. Qureshi), a film made by Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney based on Hitchens’ book, and countless articles (such as this one), published on the subject of Kissinger’s criminality during his policymaking years. Yet Clinton calls him a “friend” whose counsel she “relied” upon while she served as secretary of state under Obama from 2009 to 2013. She makes no mention of how her opinion of him has obviously evolved from the critical views she held in her youth.

......(snip)......

Unfettered by a hesitant Obama, Clinton as president hints that she would wade into conflicts with guns blazing. She has openly chastised Obama for failing to fund rebel groups early on in Syria’s civil war, thereby enabling, in her mind, the rise of the brutal Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. ISIS has emerged as the new lynchpin of a renewed U.S. war strategy in northern Iraq and possibly Syria. But the group is seen by some as the predictable outcome of an overly aggressive U.S. foreign policy that included invasion, occupation and the creation of a government—similar to the policies championed by Kissinger in countries like Chile. If anything, the emergence of ISIS should be a warning sign against interference.

......(snip)......

Judging by her words, Clinton is an apologist for power and empire. If Israel’s “mistakes” can be blamed on Hamas, then the U.S.’ will certainly not waver her position if she is president. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/hand_in_hand_with_kissinger_a_review_of_hillary_clintons_review_20140911

[Thinkingabout]

1. Smart thinking on Hillary's part to counsel with a former SOS, someone who has served in the same

position, who has traveled the world, met with world leaders and has hands on experience. I assume the writer of this article must think she should seek counsel with any writer for working in this position. We must get over the fact when a Democrat talks with and has regard for a person which has held the same position she was serving in is the time to shun the Democrat for talking to a Republican. This is a RW position, they shunned Jon Huntsman because he served as ambassador under Obama, this is foolish.

[bobduca]

2. Smart Thinking to be associated with Kissinger?

This word, thinking, I do not think it means what you think it means.

[Thinkingabout]

5. Would you go to your auto mechanic for legal advise?

[bobduca]

6. Kissinger is an evil fucking monster

[Thinkingabout]

8. He held the SOS under Nixon and Ford.

[marmar]

3. seems to me that the writer is more concerned......

....about Hillary's apparent ambitions to continue imperialistic US foreign policy.

[Thinkingabout]

7. She is a smart lady, she went to Kissinger because he had been SOS. There would be information

which would be important to her serving as SOS. Would you go to the first grade to receive a master's degree?

[sabrina 1]

11. kissinger can no longer 'travel the world'. It's hard for war criminals to do that. Smart thinking

would be, eg, 'do not associate with war criminals, it could be a dent in your presidential aspirations'.

That man should be sitting in prison along with his buddy, now dead, Pinochet, Cheney, Bush, Condy, Wolfowitz, Rummy, Ledeen et al.

The very fact that we are getting a look at how the 'two parties' work at the top, where it appears there are no 'parties', is a good thing.

I have not supported her since she supported the 'Bush Doctrine' at a time when it was imperative to have leaders in place to save this country from those disastrous policies, the outcome of which we are still seeing and will for a very long time. And I will never support her given her involvement with war criminals like Kissenger, which frankly is no surprise.

[Thinkingabout]

13. I ask you the same question, would you go to your auto mechanic for legal advice?

Would you go to a first grader to get a Masters Degree?

[sabrina 1]

15. And I ask YOU, 'would you go to a War Criminal for advice on your country's Foreign Policy?

[Thinkingabout]

16. Yes, to perhaps discover what not to do, see what worked and see what does not work.

Now back to my questions, would you go to your auto mechanic for legal advise or go to a first grader for a Masters degree?

[sabrina 1]

17. No wonder this country is in the state it is in. To think that we are now proposing that we CONSULT

with known war criminals to determine what is right and wrong?? Where AM I?

Let me answer you're totally irrelevant question this way, if I needed a mechanic, I would choose someone with a good reputation for the job he is in. I would not go to a mechanic who was a known con man. If I needed a lawyer, I would choose one with ethics, someone who would was not a liar, a conman, unethical and a criminal.

IF my decision was to choose a criminal to fix my car I may as well go to LAWYER and vice versa.

[Thinkingabout]

23. Good luck, I can assume you would go to someone with expertise in your needs

But you are negative on Hillary going to one who has experience. BTW, there are a lot of crooked mechanics and lawyers, lacking in ethics.

[sabrina 1]

24. Yes, if I wanted to commit murder, I would go to a murderer for advice. Thanks.

Most of us with any intelligence, do not go to unethical mechanics and lawyers when we need auto and legal advice. We are smart enough to check out their credentials before using their unethical services. Those who do not get what they deserve.

I think you need to drop that analogy here. I am certain most DUers would not go to a known unethical mechanic and/or lawyer for advice unless they supported unethical and criminal behavior and were part of their corrupt scams on the people. Most DUers would REPORT such corrupt individuals so that no one else is 'taken' by them.

[Thinkingabout]

31. Why would it be a bad step to talk to someone which you claim is bad to find out

What went wrong and how to prevent future failures?

[sabrina 1]

35. Did Hillary say she was talking to Kissenger to find out what went wrong? I thought she was

praising him, paying tribute to his 'expertise', he sure has expertise in cavorting with Dictators.

No, I am not surprised that Hillary would go to Kissenger, nothing she does surprises me anymore. This certainly will not get her any Liberal votes. Maybe she's trying to get Republican votes, he IS a corrupt Republican who THEY are proud of so who knows?

[sabrina 1]

29. So what you are saying is that this nation has NO ONE to go to for advice on FP, no DEMOCRAT eg

other than a man who is viewed worldwide as one of the most evil of the last century, and now we are hearing he was influencing this century's brutal FP also? No surprise there considering the same war crimes he was known to approve of in South and Central America, were put into action in Iraq also. Now we understand WHY.

What a sad statement to make about Americal. All we have is Henry Kissenger, war criminal, universally despised, wanted for questioning in several countries, associated with some of the last centuries worst dictatorships and war crimes.

Do you REALLY believe that?

[Thinkingabout]

32. You are running off the road, don't rewrite what I post, I get it you dont like

Kissinger, it foes not mean he isn't smart and has advise. I am think Hillary talked to other former SOS, her world is not closed, she talks to lots of people, she worked across the aisle when Senator, she doesn't have to be RW shunning of others.

[sabrina 1]

34. I don't like War Criminals and have zero interest in consulting with murderous friends of dictators

about the direction this country should take. Hillary will never be President if she is depending on Liberals to get her there. She is a supporter of Bush's criminal policies, has voted for them over and over as a Senator, and now she is admitting to consorting with accused War Criminals to get 'ideas' from.

Give us an example of one of Kissengers 'good' policies that anyone with a conscience might want to learn about.

I can give you a list of his bad policies, his dictator friends, his victims and why he refused to go to the countries who wanted to question him about those policies.

I can't believe ANYONE is trying to defend a Democrat even talking to this monster.

[former9thward]

22. A continuing urban legend.

Kissinger, Bush, Cheney can go where they want. No country in the world has arrest warrants on them despite people posting that. No country considers them war criminals. No U.S. leader or former leader will be arrested anywhere.

[sabrina 1]

26. kissenger is wanted for questioning by Chile, France, the UK among others re war crimes

he is a suspect in. But you are correct in one sense, a very shameful reality, this country PROTECTS its War Criminals making it difficult to bring them to justice. Which doesn't mean it can't happen. We are living in a very shameful period, as have other nations before us, right now, where war criminals like Kissenger, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, many of whose administration are ALSO wanted for questioning wrt to War Crimes, are shamefully protected from prosecution.

It doesn't help to point out our shameful protection of these criminals at all nor does it make it an 'urban legend' to say he cannot go freely around the world without the possibility of being detained.

When was the last time he traveled around South America a region which has finally broken free to a large extent of Western supported dictators like Pinochet, Kissenger's good friend and who are now, 50 years later bringing some of the THEIR war criminals to justice.

Molly Ivins On Kissenger

AUSTIN, TX - Good grief. I turn my back for 10 minutes, and they bring back the old War Criminal.

Two generations of Americans have come to adulthood since Henry Kissinger last held political power, so I need to explain that War Criminal is not an affectionate sobriquet: The man is, in fact, a war criminal - wanted for questioning in Chile, Argentina and France (concerning French citizens who disappeared in Chile). He cannot travel to Britain, Brazil and many other countries because they cannot guarantee his immunity from legal proceedings.

In addition to his role in the Chilean coup that brought the regime of Gen. Pinochet to power, Kissinger is wanted for questioning about the international terrorist network called Operation Condor, which conducted killings, kidnappings and bombings in several countries, including this one - the 1976 bombing in Washington, D.C., that killed a noted Chilean dissident and his companion.

Kissinger's most notorious crime was the secret bombing of Cambodia and Laos during the Vietnam War. William Shawcross argued persuasively in his book "Sideshow: Kissinger, Nixon and the Destruction of Cambodia" that the Cambodian bombing unleashed the Khmer Rouge on that country - which, if true, certainly ups Kissinger's body count.

So to respond to your comment which appears to be defending Kissinger, it IS shameful that he has yet to be detained, (Ireland eg had a chance to do so not long ago, but did not) the ONLY reason being that this country, as we did with Bush/Cheney's gang of torturers) can be counted on to intervene on behalf of these brutal war criminals. As we saw in the Wikileaks Cables..

That has zero to do with his criminal background, all it says is that we, the supposed greatest democracy in the world's history, or whatever, protect Criminals wanted for questioning in several countries for horrific crimes they are suspected, with a good deal of evidence, of being a part of.

I wouldn't be using our protection of war criminals to try to say that Kissenger is not a criminal, we have little standing regarding this subject anymore around the globe.

[former9thward]

27. I am not defending anybody.

Just throwing in a dose of reality. No, he is not wanted by the governments of Chile, etc for questioning. There is no legal proceedings against him or the others. Yes, our government protects its leaders, past and present. Again, reality. When has he last been to S. American? Oh, I don't know, he is 91 and most people that age don't do a lot of traveling.

[sabrina 1]

28. He IS wanted for questioning in Chile among other nations. And it doesn't matter how many times you

deny it, that is a fact. He traveled to Europe four years ago where there was an effort to get him detained for questioning. Naturally it didn't happen, because as I said, our Government supports and protects War Criminals as was made clear in the Wikileaks Cables. Did you read any of those cables btw?

I'm sure, since you don't think being 'wanted for questioning' for war crimes is a big deal, you must be outraged at what has happened, speaking of Wikileaks, to Julian Assange who is also only wanted for questioning, no charges ever filed, for something more less important than WAR CRIMES.

Pinochet and Kissenger, both wanted for war crimes, both protected by their Western employers, Pinnochet unlike Assange, was protected from extradition by the same British Court that handed over Assange, or tried to. Amazing isn't it, how they protect these brutal, evil men while going after the Whistle Blowers?

[former9thward]

30. I am a big fan of Assange and Snowden

so don't throw those on me. I have not read the Wikileaks cables you refer to.

[monmouth3]

4. She scares the hell out of me...n/t

[Octafish]

9. A Signal to Empire and its Oligarchs

Your property is safe with us.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. Kissinger, Netanyahu, Goldman Sachs and, of course, Bush.

Now, the man on the stand he wants my vote,
He's a-runnin' for office on the ballot note.
He's out there preachin' in front of the steeple,
Tellin' me he loves all kinds-a people.

Bob Dylan

[woo me with science]

12. Running ostentatiously to the right of Rand Paul,

who will run promising to prevent all this, but also promises to privatize the rest of the country and dismantle the rest of the social safety nets.

These people work together, and they think ahead.

[Cleita]

14. Henry Kissinger brought about a coup and untold suffering

in the country of my birth, Chile, not to mention the suffering he caused around the world. Hillary seems to follow the Monroe Doctrine model of foreign policy if she is praising him. I need to know more, but if this ends up being the case, I cannot in good conscience vote for her.

[KoKo]

18. Seriously....the more she says and does the more dislikeable she becomes...

This is getting really hard to deal with....but, the Democratic Party wants her really bad.

I'm a Lifelong Democrat....I feel I don't belong, anymore with this stuff going on.

[IDemo]

19. Too bad Milton Friedman isn't still around

What a great resource of economic wisdom he would be.

[KoKo]

20. HE LIVES.....his philosophy drove Obama to the Bank Bailouts & Austerity

Programs Worldwide. That Great GURU is like CHENEY.....HE LIVES...even though he's gone....HE LIVES... Cheney in the Person...is still here doing his evil deeds but those folks take Decades and Revolutions before their memory is carved out of the Monuments to Them...by those who come after the consequences. Usually the children who grow up and rise. At least that's what history shows. Mighty Ozymandias...

-------------

Shelley Percy Bysshe - Poem

http://www.famousliteraryworks.com/shelley_ozymandias.htm

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."

[IDemo]

21. Yes, he certainly does

Chicago School economics, austerity, disaster capitalism are all enjoying some heady days.

The post was in reference to another's justification of Hillary's hangin' with Dr. K., forehead-slapping stuff even for 3rd-Wayers.

[JEB]

25. Kissenger is krypton to everything

good and moral and human. He should have been fed to the sand worms long ago.

[scarletwoman]

33. Kick - just say no to Hillary. (nt)