To the Editor:
Re “Henry A. Kissinger, 1923-2023: Refugee From Nazis, He Formed World Historical past” (obituary, entrance web page, Dec. 1):
Henry Kissinger was some of the highly effective political figures on this planet from 1969 to 1977. He served because the nationwide safety adviser and secretary of state below President Richard M. Nixon and later President Gerald R. Ford.
President Nixon and Mr. Kissinger prolonged the battle in Vietnam, concocted a “secret plan” to finish the battle and carpet-bombed Cambodia and Laos — a technique that failed miserably and led to a devastating demise toll amongst harmless noncombatants.
Mr. Kissinger can also be pretty blamed for encouraging these liable for the demise of a democratically elected socialist president in Chile, Salvador Allende, in a navy coup in 1973. For Mr. Kissinger, the ends, nevertheless morally horrific, justified the means in the event that they supported his philosophy and political beliefs.
Many people Vietnam veterans (I served in 1967-68) blamed Mr. Kissinger and President Nixon for the rise within the deaths of American troopers from 1969 till the tip of the battle. Nixon and Mr. Kissinger sabotaged President Lyndon B. Johnson’s deliberate peace convention with North Vietnam earlier than Johnson left workplace.
I don’t assume it’s unfair to name Henry Kissinger an unscrupulous, Machiavellian puppet grasp who valued energy and superstar over human life.
Michael J. Gorman
Queens
To the Editor:
Henry Kissinger’s story is a outstanding one, reflective of essentially the most perilous period of American international coverage. It’s troublesome to think about Mr. Kissinger and never really feel anger for all of the atrocities in Cambodia, modern-day Bangladesh, Chile and so many different nations.
But, as somebody born after the tip of the Chilly Conflict, I admittedly discover it troublesome to think about how unprecedented and precarious world affairs have been throughout his tenure in workplace.
Mr. Kissinger’s “realpolitik” technique for international coverage was not essentially the most suitable choice, however a protected and efficient one for the US, a minimum of. Nevertheless, by ignoring regional points and treating nations solely as means to additional U.S. pursuits, Mr. Kissinger’s Machiavellian strategy has accomplished a lot to alienate the U.S. on the worldwide stage and sow mistrust amongst would-be allies within the World South.
Undoubtedly, he’ll proceed to be a monumental determine in Chilly Conflict historical past regardless of all of the atrocities, however one who needs to be praised and memorialized with excessive warning.
Aaryan Kumar
Chicago
To the Editor:
Within the movie “Golda,” Henry Kissinger says to Golda Meir, “You should do not forget that first I’m an American, second I’m secretary of state, and third I’m a Jew.” Golda replies, “Henry, you neglect that in Israel we learn from proper to left.”
Mr. Kissinger did some good issues, some unhealthy, however it was because of his settlement with Leonid Brezhnev on the emigration of Soviet Jews (within the early levels of détente) that my household was capable of get an exit visa. So, in a approach, I’m right here because of outdated Henry. Thanks, outdated man. Relaxation in peace.
Nina Kossman
Queens
‘An Epic Failure’ in Israel: Ignoring a Hamas Assault Plan
To the Editor:
Re “Israelis Noticed Plan for Hamas Assault Over a Yr In the past” (entrance web page, Dec. 1):
The very notion that Israeli officers obtained Hamas’s battle plan for the barbaric Oct. 7 terrorist assault greater than a yr earlier than it occurred is as nauseating as it’s infuriating. That Israeli officers ignored or just dismissed the blueprint for the assault as aspirational, or too troublesome for Hamas to hold out, is a portrait of reckless conceitedness and neglect.
This gorgeous revelation additionally additional enhances the idea that within the months main as much as the assault, Israel’s highest-ranking officers, most particularly its self-serving prime minister, have been dangerously distracted by the nation’s inner judicial disaster and the titanic risk it posed to Israeli democracy.
What an epic failure and a troubling and horrible actuality examine for the folks of Israel, and for that matter all the world.
Cody Lyon
Brooklyn
When Docs Sexually Abuse Their Sufferers
To the Editor:
Re “The Massive #MeToo Second for Docs Is Lastly Right here,” by Helen Ouyang (Opinion visitor essay, nytimes.com, Nov. 20):
Dr. Ouyang writes about sexual exploitation of sufferers by physicians. She was horrified to be taught of the pervasiveness of this misconduct. Sadly, it’s not a brand new downside, however somewhat one which has been addressed for greater than 40 years by these of us who deal with victims of violence.
In 1982, as chair of the American Psychiatric Affiliation’s Committee on Ladies, I led a workforce that documented the nationwide prevalence of sexual abuse by psychiatrists (7 % of male and three % of feminine respondents acknowledged intercourse with their very own sufferers), with 88 % of instances involving male psychiatrists and feminine sufferers. Many abusers have been concerned with a couple of affected person.
I carried out one other nationwide survey of surgeons, household practitioners, internists and obstetrician-gynecologists asking about sexual contact with their very own sufferers. 9 % of all respondents indicated that they’d been sexually concerned with a number of sufferers. Our information led to ethics codes prohibiting doctor sexual misconduct, and licensing board censure of offenders.
But regardless of our efforts, medical faculty curriculums are largely poor in educating about energy abuse and sexual exploitation. What number of public scandals will it take to provoke the modifications in medical faculty ethics curriculums that we have now been advocating because the early Eighties?
Nanette Gartrell
San Francisco
The author is a retired psychiatrist who was on the colleges of Harvard Medical College and the College of California, San Francisco.
To the Editor:
It’s a reduction to learn that well being care establishments are lastly taking actions to guard their No. 1 constituents: the sufferers.
Small consolation there, although: They achieve this solely after a long time of strain and, lastly, expensive litigation that’s definitely being handed on to customers by way of elevated prices of care.
It didn’t need to be this fashion.
Kate Thurston Tardif
Naples, Fla.
DeSantis vs. Newsom: A Demeaning Debate
To the Editor:
Re “5 Takeaways From the DeSantis-Newsom Debate” (nytimes.com, Nov. 30), a few Fox Information debate between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Gov. Gavin Newsom:
I squirmed by the primary quarter-hour of what was a good replication of a schoolyard name-calling contest. What a demeaning expertise for each of the individuals, permitting themselves to be become TV caricatures of politicians, thereby foreclosing all chance of ever imagining both of them as a severe statesman.
Lawrence Weisman
Westport, Conn.
