Washington.On Wednesday, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger passed away at the age of 100 in his Connecticut residence. A pivotal figure in diplomacy, Kissinger, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, wielded considerable influence in shaping U.S. foreign policy across two presidential administrations.
Despite his age, Kissinger remained active, attending White House meetings, authoring a book on leadership styles, and providing testimony on the nuclear threat from North Korea before a Senate committee. In an unexpected move in July 2023, he visited Beijing for discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During his tenure as Secretary of State under President Richard Nixon, Kissinger played a key role in shaping global events in the 1970s. Born in Germany and a Jewish refugee, Kissinger initiated diplomatic ties between the U.S. and China, facilitated historic arms control talks with the Soviet Union, expanded relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, and contributed to the Paris Peace Accords with North Vietnam.
Although his influence waned with Nixon’s resignation in 1974, Kissinger remained a significant diplomatic figure under President Gerald Ford, consistently expressing strong views on American foreign policy.While lauded by many for his expertise and extensive experience, Kissinger faced criticism, with some labeling him a war criminal for supporting anti-communist dictatorships, particularly in Latin America.
In his later years, Kissinger’s international travels were constrained by attempts from other nations to apprehend him or seek explanations regarding past American foreign policy decisions.
