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Atlantic Council
Distinguished Leadership Awards 2013
presented top global leadership awards to former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton |
At the Democratic debate in Milwaukee, Senator Bernie
Sanders revealed how much he detested Hillary Clinton’s mentor on Foreign
Policy, Nixon’s Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Sanders said he believes “Kissinger
was one of the most destructive secretaries of state in the modern history of
this country.”
“I am proud to say that Henry Kissinger is not my friend,”
Sanders said. “I will not take advice from Henry Kissinger. And in fact,
Kissinger’s actions in Cambodia, when the United States bombed that country,
overthrew Prince Sihanouk, created the instability for Pol Pot and the Khmer
Rouge to come in, who then butchered some 3 million innocent people, one of the
worst genocides in the history of the world. So count me in as somebody who
will not be listening to Henry Kissinger.”
Most likely, many listening to the debate may not understand
why Sanders had such ill feelings toward Kissinger. Living through the Nixon
years, particularly the Vietnam War, I understand why. And I, too, have nothing
but disgust for the man.
The
Intercept’s Dan Froomkin details Kissinger’s war crimes. He says Sander’s
and Clinton’s differing views are central to the divide between them.
A few notable quotes speak to Kissinger’s character:
"Before the Freedom of Information Act, I used to say
at meetings, 'The illegal we do immediately; the unconstitutional takes a little
longer. But since the Freedom of Information Act, I'm afraid to say things like
that." The
Guardian
“The emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union is not an
objective of American foreign policy. And if they put Jews into gas chambers in
the Soviet Union, it is not an American concern. Maybe a humanitarian concern.” The New
York Times
In relaying orders from Nixon to General Alexander Haig: “[Nixon]
wants a massive bombing campaign in Cambodia. He doesn’t want to hear anything.
It’s an order, it’s to be done. Anything that flies, on anything that moves.”
You got that?” Yale.edu
Mr. Kissinger exulted to President Nixon over bombing
Vietnam: “it’s wave after wave of planes. You see, they can’t see the B-52 and
they dropped a million pounds of bombs … I bet you we will have had more planes
over there in one day than Johnson had in a month … each plane can carry about
10 times the load of World War II plane could carry.” Global
Research
“It is an act of insanity and national humiliation to have a
law prohibiting the President from ordering assassination.” Laura
Kalman, Right Star Rising: A New Politics, 1974-1980
Clinton takes pride that Henry Kissinger is an advisor of
hers on foreign policy. Sanders’ assessment of Kissinger as “one of the most
destructive secretaries of state in the modern history of this country” is well
founded. It’s unacceptable that anyone would take Kissinger’s advice.
Nevertheless, no question about it, Henry Kissinger is “a litmus test for
foreign policy.”
© Copyright 2016 Horatio Green
