Before the Trump administration implements a MAGA national security policy, it must exorcise the legacy of Henry Kissinger.
Kissinger's legacy has been a curse for 49 years. His intellectual brilliance, Harvard credentials, and skill in inciting and cultivating the illusions of self-respect in his elite patrons brought him power and wealth under false pretenses and at the expense of the country.
This is an opportunity to replace a culture of self-centered delusion with a culture of truth and courage.
On January 9, 1971, Kissinger secretly met with Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin. Without consulting President Nixon, Kissinger decided that by allowing this series of events to unfold, the United States could effectively “win” the Vietnam War.
- North and South sign a peace treaty.
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The United States withdraws troops from South Vietnam.
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North Korea leaves 13 divisions in South Vietnam.
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The South has two years of freedom. and
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With massive support from the Soviet Union and China, the North conquered the South.
After the meeting, Mr. Dobrynin reported to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow that Mr. Kissinger had said: ”
Reading the transcripts of Kissinger's conversations with President Nixon reveals a subtle and sinister manipulation of Nixon's political needs and fears. Nixon remained in the dark about Kissinger's “possibility'' that the North could win the war by giving the South a short period of freedom. Nixon had no idea of the depth of Kissinger's betrayal until I told him in 1989. He turned pale and completely lost his composure as he internalized the terrible implications of what he had just heard.
By setting the South up for failure and defeat, Kissinger betrayed not only the president but also American combatants and their families, allies in South Vietnam, and a generation of men and women who believed in American leadership overseas. Kissinger's conspiracy undermined America's moral authority in world affairs, paved the way for policy failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, and imposed the curse of defeatism on the American people.
When we think of Kissinger's acclaimed work, we may be reminded of a passage in the Gospel of Matthew in which the devil himself tempts Jesus by controlling power and dominion. Jesus simply said, “Get back, Satan,” and the devil was left helpless.
The moral stain and political stench of betrayal must be cleansed.
We need the right person to make such a victory possible over our sinful past.
Pete Hegseth could be the change-maker America needs.
Hegseth asserted that his mission is to focus on combat, how to win when the chips are on the table. As a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hegseth knows how weak political leaders who cover their bad decisions with deceit and have no loyalty to the people who sacrifice their bodies and minds to accomplish their mission can act on the battlefield. I know firsthand what will bring results.
Our national security apparatus needs moral reform from top to bottom to correct the evils left behind by Kissinger and other elites molded in his image. This is an opportunity to replace a culture of self-centered delusion with a culture of truth and courage.
The subtitle of Hegseth's latest book, “Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” suggests that he has internalized the lessons of Kissinger's betrayal of previous generations of Americans, keeping our hearts and minds safe. It shows that you can take a new direction that will ensure your success. A country of pride and honor.
Editor's note:This article was originally published by RealClear Defense and made available via RealClearWire.
