Henry Kissinger’s bombing campaign likely killed hundreds of thousands of Cambodians − and set path for the ravages of the Khmer Rouge
The ConversationNOV 30 2023
The Spin
Narrative A
Kissinger can be criticized for many things after decades of establishing the US' post-WWII foreign policy, but no one can question that everything he did was done with the best interests of the US in mind. He will be greatly remembered for his many achievements, including the US troop withdrawal from Vietnam and the détente with Communist China and the Soviet Union. American public life will miss his wisdom and "realpolitik."
Narrative B
Given the carpet bombing of Cambodia, the US’ role in problems in Pakistan, and the green-lighting of Indonesia's bloody invasion of East Timor, no other official in modern US history deserves the title of war criminal more than Kissinger. Mainstream voices will pay tribute to him as a statesman and a diplomat, but decency commands we remember the many civilians who suffered at his hands.