Situational Relationship rooted in 基辛格US foreign policy

The quote by Henry Kissinger, “It may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal,” offers an intriguing insight into the complex nature of alliances and friendships with the United States. 

Some chop it up and manipulate it around to fool the fools, who neither knew English nor wanted the truth.

Ref: 

• 谎言重复一千遍 （1） - 唐宋韵 - ♂   (8120 bytes) (27 reads) 09/25/2023  09:18:20 (3)

• 基辛格其实是表达相反的意思 - Zhuzitaba - ♂   (0 bytes) (4 reads) 09/25/2023  09:55:08

• 想起一件真实的事情 —— - 唐宋韵 - ♂   (508 bytes) (2 reads) 09/25/2023  11:02:15

• 表达的意思是有些绕，烧脑。 - 盈盈一笑间 - ♀   (0 bytes) (2 reads) 09/25/2023  12:05:26

• 在历史背景下，他的意思应该是很明确的。 - 唐宋韵 - ♂   (0 bytes) (1 reads) 09/25/2023  12:31:22

• If you dive in the context, you could easily get the point. - TJKCB - ♀   (44 bytes) (1 reads) 09/25/2023  12:32:23

• People only see what they want to see :)) - 卫宁 - ♂   (0 bytes) (0 reads) 09/25/2023  11:20:26

 

My take: Situational Relationship is rooted in the US interest in foreign policy

Title: History Repeats Until Lessons Learned: Henry Kissinger’s Perspective

Introduction:
The quote by Henry Kissinger, “It may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal,” offers an intriguing insight into the complex nature of alliances and friendships with the United States. This essay will explore the meaning and implications of this statement, drawing examples from Kissinger’s career to support the idea that history repeats itself until lessons are learned.

Meaning and Interpretation:
Kissinger’s quote suggests that while opposing the United States may come with inherent risks, aligning oneself as its ally or friend can lead to even more detrimental outcomes. It implies that the US tends to prioritize its own interests, sometimes at the expense of its allies. This viewpoint highlights the potential dangers of being associated with the US and the possible negative consequences that can arise from such relationships.

Examples Supporting the Quote:

Vietnam War:
Kissinger’s involvement in shaping US foreign policy during the Vietnam War serves as a prime example. The US’s support for South Vietnam as an ally resulted in a prolonged and costly conflict, leading to significant loss of American lives and resources. The war ultimately ended in defeat, highlighting the potential risks for those who align themselves with the US.

Support for dictators:
Kissinger’s pragmatic approach to foreign policy often involved supporting authoritarian regimes or dictators in pursuit of US interests. His support for the military coup in Chile in 1973, which resulted in the oppressive rule of Augusto Pinochet, exemplifies this. Such instances demonstrate the potential consequences for nations aligning with the US, as their values and stability can be compromised for the sake of American interests.

Shifting alliances:
Kissinger’s role in the opening of relations with China in the 1970s further illustrates the quote’s meaning. Despite China being a former enemy in the Korean War, the US pursued a new alliance with them to counterbalance the Soviet Union. This example showcases the US’s willingness to change alliances and potentially abandon previous allies, potentially leaving them vulnerable and exposed.

Conclusion:
Henry Kissinger’s quote, “It may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal,” reflects a perspective that history repeats itself until lessons are learned. The Vietnam War, support for dictators, and shifting alliances are examples that support this idea. These instances highlight the potential dangers and risks involved in aligning with the US, where the pursuit of American interests can sometimes override the well-being and stability of its allies. By understanding and learning from these historical patterns, nations can strive to build more equitable and mutually beneficial relationships with the United States. Only then can the cycle of history repeating itself be broken.

[TJKCB]

? 谎言重复一千遍 （1） - 唐宋韵 - 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (8120 bytes) (1415 reads) 09/25/2023 09:18:20 (4)

? 基辛格其实是表达相反的意思 - Zhuzitaba - 给 Zhuzitaba 发送悄悄话 Zhuzitaba 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (5 reads) 09/25/2023 09:55:08

? 想起一件真实的事情 —— - 唐宋韵 - 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (508 bytes) (17 reads) 09/25/2023 11:02:15 (1)

? 表达的意思是有些绕，烧脑。 - 盈盈一笑间 - 给 盈盈一笑间 发送悄悄话 盈盈一笑间 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (4 reads) 09/25/2023 12:05:26 (1)

? 在历史背景下，他的意思应该是很明确的。 - 唐宋韵 - 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 09/25/2023 12:31:22

? If you dive in the context, you could easily get the point. - TJKCB - 给 TJKCB 发送悄悄话 TJKCB 的博客首页 (44 bytes) (3 reads) 09/25/2023 12:32:23

? 谢谢楼上两位，又看了一遍，“假如阮文绍遭遇到了与吴庭琰相同的命运，那么。。”现在 看懂了。 - 盈盈一笑间 - 给 盈盈一笑间 发送悄悄话 盈盈一笑间 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (0 reads) 09/25/2023 12:46:37

? Harvard style of writing as 基辛格 was Professor at Harvard - TJKCB - 给 TJKCB 发送悄悄话 TJKCB 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (0 reads) 09/25/2023 15:54:29

? People only see what they want to see :)) - 卫宁 - 给 卫宁 发送悄悄话 卫宁 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (2 reads) 09/25/2023 11:20:26

? 你瞎说什么大实话！：） - 盈盈一笑间 - 给 盈盈一笑间 发送悄悄话 盈盈一笑间 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (0 reads) 09/25/2023 12:50:58

? 一个人，如果能理性地克服一点这方面的偏见，就是一个不简单的人。 - 唐宋韵 - 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (0 reads) 09/25/2023 13:00:24

? ? Situational Relationship rooted in 基辛格US foreign policy - - TJKCB - 给 TJKCB 发送悄悄话 TJKCB 的博客首页 (1059 bytes) (4 reads) 09/25/2023 12:59:09

? I guess so. But situationship still values promises. - 唐宋韵 - 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (3 reads) 09/25/2023 13:09:01

? 所谓 “国际关系中，没有永远的朋友，也没有永远的敌人”，是否就是situational relationship呢？ - 唐宋韵 - 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 09/25/2023 13:38:52

? spatiotemporal decision out of the context, nothing was true - TJKCB - 给 TJKCB 发送悄悄话 TJKCB 的博客首页 (1621 bytes) (3 reads) 09/25/2023 15:12:37

? An individuals‘ decision-making may not be compared with - - 唐宋韵 - 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (38 bytes) (1 reads) 09/25/2023 16:13:01 (1)

? elaborated why? only scale of balance? - TJKCB - 给 TJKCB 发送悄悄话 TJKCB 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (0 reads) 09/25/2023 17:12:48

? 春秋无义战，丛林法则，仍然是国际法则的基石。人类离动物世界的距离并不远。几千年的文明史与上百万年的人科动物史相比太短！ - 方外居士 - 给 方外居士 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) (2 reads) 09/25/2023 14:40:50

? 我在一个地方讲过，中国文化中“信守承诺”意识较差，当年北宋被灭，这是一大原因。如今犹如此。不能用“进化不够”来解释。 - 唐宋韵 - 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (2 reads) 09/25/2023 14:54:42

? 不能做到”信守承诺”本身就是文明进化不够的表现。人类生理上的进化早已完成，现在正在经历的是意识上的进化，才几千年。 - 方外居士 - 给 方外居士 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) (3 reads) 09/25/2023 15:37:15 (1)

? 人类生理上的进化?意识上的进化=AI? - TJKCB - 给 TJKCB 发送悄悄话 TJKCB 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (0 reads) 09/25/2023 16:02:59

? 不同文化在信守承诺和契约意识上的差异，恐怕不能用“进化”来表述。生物进化是有可定义的标志的，文化这一块，很难定义。 - 唐宋韵 - 给 唐宋韵 发送悄悄话 唐宋韵 的博客首页 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 09/25/2023 16:07:58 (1)