Books, Arts & Manners

American Foreign Policy By Henry A. KissingerNorton, $3.95 It is not improbable that the Nixon Administration will leave as its most distinctive historical mark an entirely new conception of American foreign policy—indeed, a conception, something that we have hitherto lacked. In this context, Henry Kissinger, an early and prominent Presidential appointee, holds a position comparable to that of a military chief of staff, according him unique possibilities for structuring foreign policy. His thinking is therefore of great public interest. We may be slow to realize the quality of the book under review unless we begin by reminding ourselves what it is that has caused our dismay about American foreign policy for so many years.

We have had leaders who have recognized dangers to our security but who have been in the unfortunate habit of meeting them “by magic operations in the dream world, such as disapproval, moral condemnation, declarations of intention, resolutions, appeals to the opinion of mankind, branding enemies as aggressors, outlawing of war, propaganda for world peace and world government, etc.” (Eric Voegelin, The New Science of Politics). None of this propensity can be found in Kissinger aside from a few occasional bows to such utopian hopes as “world culture” and disarmament compacts. Rather, Kissinger is engaged in “the critical exploration of cause and effect in history.” He moves attentively, with keenly observant eyes, between the boulders and solid blocks of reality and tells us what he sees. We, unfortunately, have not been used to leaders who have done, or were capable of doing, that sort of thing; it is a novel experience for us.

GN

About the Author

Gerhart Niemeyer

Featured Tags

American Foreign Policy By Henry A. KissingerNorton, $3.95 It is not improbable that the Nixon Administration will leave as its most distinctive historical mark an entirely new conception of American foreign policy—indeed, a conception, something that we have hitherto lacked. In this context, Henry Kissinger, an early and prominent Presidential appointee, holds a position comparable to that of a military chief of staff, according him unique possibilities for structuring foreign policy. His thinking is therefore of great public interest. We may be slow to realize the quality of the book under review unless we begin by reminding ourselves what it is that has caused our dismay about American foreign policy for so many years.

We have had leaders who have recognized dangers to our security but who have been in the unfortunate habit of meeting them “by magic operations in the dream world, such as disapproval, moral condemnation, declarations of intention, resolutions, appeals to the opinion of mankind, branding enemies as aggressors, outlawing of war, propaganda for world peace and world government, etc.” (Eric Voegelin, The New Science of Politics). None of this propensity can be found in Kissinger aside from a few occasional bows to such utopian hopes as “world culture” and disarmament compacts. Rather, Kissinger is engaged in “the critical exploration of cause and effect in history.” He moves attentively, with keenly observant eyes, between the boulders and solid blocks of reality and tells us what he sees. We, unfortunately, have not been used to leaders who have done, or were capable of doing, that sort of thing; it is a novel experience for us.