Apr 5, 2003
Today on the Sundance Channel there was a documentary, ""The Trials of Henry Kissinger". Without knowing much about the details regarding Kissinger's life, I don't feel I can judge how good or bad the film. I simply don't know how much of the film was fact, or opinion. That said, it did raise a lot of questions in my mind on America's role in the world, decisions our politicians have made, the decisions they're making today, and how can we move forward.
I find it rather ironic that I read in the NYTimes today an article entitled, "Viewing the War as a Lesson to the World" By David E. Sanger, where he wrote:
"Washington, April 5 — Shortly after Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld issued a stark warning to Iran and Syria last week, declaring that any "hostile acts" they committed on behalf of Iraq might prompt severe consequences, one of President Bush's closest aides stepped into the Oval Office to warn him that his unpredictable defense secretary had just raised the specter of a broader confrontation. Mr. Bush smiled a moment at the latest example of Mr. Rumsfeld's brazenness, recalled the aide. Then he said one word — "Good" — and went back to work."
It is even more ironic how fitting this week's episode of "Law & Order" is to this stream of consciousness. Essentially, the issue that this episode dealt with is, should our justice system weigh the relative value of citizens, when judging them for crimes committed, and the sentencing them. A brilliant writer killed a man for no reason, and asked for the death sentence. His defense attorney was fighting the death sentence on the grounds that killing this man would devoid society of amazing works of literature – based on what this guy could ‘potentially’ write while in prison. One quote from the episode, “If Einstein had killed the Count of Monte Christo, should he be put in jail?”
Regarding the excerpt from the NYTimes article, I find it interesting because of the claims made in the film. In a nut shell, the film claims that Henry Kissinger should be put on trial for crimes against humanity.
The film, based on a book, “The Trial of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens claims that while Kissinger was the National Security Advisor & Secretary of State, 1973 – 1977, he was responsible for the murder of millions of people in Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, East Timor, & Chile. Furthermore, he was responsible for the installment or at least the rise to power of Pinochet, Pol Pot & the Khmere Rouge, who went on to kill hundreds of thousands.
I’ll continue this later… gotta run.
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