Henry Kissinger went to hell at 100: A warmonger who changed the world for worse

Henry Kissinger, an influential and controversial figure in US foreign policy for decades, has died at the age of 100. Known for his unapologetic promotion of raw American power during the Cold War, Kissinger left an indelible mark not only on US foreign policy but on global politics as a whole.

The polarizing foreign policy figure, who served as secretary of state and national security advisor under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, died on Wednesday at his home in Connecticut, according to a statement from his consulting firm, Kissinger Associates.

Having escaped Nazi Germany with his family in 1938, Kissinger later became a prominent political scientist and geopolitical consultant, and worked his way through the corridors of power in Washington.

The German-born Jewish refugee was notorious for his “realpolitik” approach to foreign policy, considering the legitimacy of international order as being premised on the agreement of the great powers, and ignoring morality as irrelevant.

Not surprisingly, Kissinger’s legacy is marred by controversial decisions and actions.

He is responsible for the ruthless campaign of carpet bombing in Cambodia from 1969 to 1973, which resulted in the deaths of between 150,000 and half a million Cambodians.

The purpose of the covert tactical bombing campaign in Cambodia was Washington’s desire, following Kissinger’s advice to Nixon to “Hit them!”, to defeat both the South Vietnamese National Liberation Front and North Vietnam.