Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Worse US Secretary of State past 30 years

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU
 
LynneSin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 09:52 AM
Original message
Poll question: Worse US Secretary of State past 30 years
There are sooooo many to choose from - who was the worse!!!

To be fair, I'm including ALL of the past Secretary of States under all of the presidents regardless of party. Time served is also listed. I did eliminate one minor one that served under Bush.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
MrBenchley Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 09:54 AM
Response to Original message
1. Only one of these is on the lam
for war crimes...and that's Henry the K, who at this point cannot go abroad for fear of subpoenas and warrants....
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
IrateCitizen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 09:57 AM
Response to Original message
2. This discussion begins and ends with Alexander Haig
While I'm no fan of Kissinger, and consider him to be little more than a modern-day Machiavelli, I do NOT consider the man to be any kind of "failure". Completely and utterly misguided, yes. But hardly a failure.

Al Haig, on the other hand, is a virtual laughingstock in addition to being one of the most soulless beings on the planet. If you've ever seen an interview with him, you will know what I am talking about. Just listening to him in the documentary, "The Trials of Henry Kissinger" confirmed that for me. When you look into his eyes all you see is complete blackness. :scared:

And just remember the whole, "I'm in charge!" thing after Reagan was shot.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LynneSin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:21 AM
Response to Reply #2
8. It was Haig and the "I'm in Charge" quote that made me think of this poll
Especially with Bush and his "I'm in Charge" speeches about the Iraq war.

I think both of your points are valid, but Haig never caused the type of genocide that Kissinger's policies have created. We mourn about 9/11 but we forget that 30 years ago the United States created their own act of terrorism when we help overthrow democratically elected Salvador Allende in Chile (9/11/73) for that horrible dictator Augusto Pinochet.

Haig wins only for being the horrible, callus doofus that he was. But Kissinger wins because to me, he's a murderer.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
emad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:35 AM
Response to Reply #2
14. The laughingstock part is 110% true!
Al Haig couldn't distinguish a counter-intelligence story from a Star Trek episode. His strategic game play makes Boris Yeltsin seem like an inspired teetotaller with a prophetic vision.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
HFishbine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 09:58 AM
Response to Original message
3. Powell
Because he had credibility and prestige but sold out. Haig and Kissenger were terrible, but they made no pretense. Powell whored for bad policy and compromised his integrity too.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
eileen_d Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:00 AM
Response to Original message
4. I love how you have "I liked them all" as a choice
Definitely, I have miniature ceramic "figurines" of each one! Collect them all!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NewYorkerfromMass Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:07 AM
Response to Original message
5. James A. Baker 3d- by a mile
Seeing his demonic face polluting the airwaves November 2000 brought it all back to me what an evil man he is. Who allowed Gulf War I to happen? :shrug: Nice diplomacy! NOT!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
RichM Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:09 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. I deeply despise Baker now, but must admit, when he was in office, I had
no idea what an evil bastard he really was.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NewYorkerfromMass Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:22 AM
Response to Reply #6
10. Because he so stealthily did his "job"
which no doubt had a lot to do with directing money and contracts to the Bush cartel. I doubt April Glasspie worked in a vaccuum.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
emad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:16 AM
Response to Original message
7. Without meaning to diminish any of the above -
especially those rubbishing Al Haig and James Baker who were assholes of a calibre previously thought unimaginable - I have to go with Cyrus Vance because my mom sued him and won.....and her personal opinion on his paucity of integrity is what cheers me along when times are hard!

Having said that, it is gobsmacking unbelievable that Kissinger has evaded being banged up in the slammer...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
beyurslf Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:22 AM
Response to Reply #7
9. I would like to say
Colin Powell but I think he is more "most disappointing." I liked him before this admin made him what he is today.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Aidoneus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:24 AM
Response to Original message
11. tough to say..
Edited on Wed Oct-15-03 10:25 AM by Aidoneus
none of them were good. I'd say the race to the bottom among these rogues is a toss-up between Kissinger, Baker, and Albright. :shrug:

No positive credit given to the rest, however, they're just bushleague bozos by comparison.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Fenris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:28 AM
Response to Original message
12. Kissinger was the most wicked of them all, BUT
Since I have only one vote, I have to say Al Haig. How that man got THAT job is beyond me. If you don't know the line of succession PAST the V.P., you have no business in government.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
leftofthedial Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:30 AM
Response to Original message
13. Kissinger just edges out Colonoscopy
for worst.

When Rect, um I mean Colin, is indicted for war crimes, it will be a dead heat.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Iverson Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:52 AM
Response to Original message
15. Who helped the most people to die?
One of them far outstrips the others, I think.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LittleApple81 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:54 AM
Response to Original message
16. Nit picking: shouldn't it be worst? and I voted for Kissinger. n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LynneSin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:56 AM
Response to Reply #16
17. nitpicker
um, but you're right

and I can't edit out the typo!!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Aristus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 10:57 AM
Response to Original message
18. Kissinger, Haig, Baker III, and Powell.
All bad. All the time. But Cyrus Vance, I at least have a tenuous personal connection to. His nephew was the Sergeant-Major of my battalion over in Germany. What a gaseous, louumouth, soulless, idiotic f*ckwad that sorry sack of shit was. Hated that m****rf****r!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cheviot Donating Member (58 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 11:09 AM
Response to Original message
19. I'm a little concerned about racism towards Powell
For years we've been wanting blacks to be allowed to reach high political office. We finally have one with Powell. I think he should be granted a bit of leeway here. After all, the trail he has blazed has been a very difficult one. Let's not roll back gains blacks have made.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
RichM Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 11:28 AM
Response to Reply #19
20. His race is not the issue. The issue is that he's a liar & a shithead.
In general, one wants to see minorities do well, sure. This hardly means, however, that you "grant leeway" to people so unprincipled that they're happy & willing to carry water for the Bush gangsters. Condi Rice & Clarence Thomas & Michael Powell and Colin should all be recognized as being exactly what they are -- liars, weasels & bottomlessly corrupted reactionaries.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LynneSin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 11:41 AM
Response to Reply #19
22. Sorry, not buying it
Don't pull a 'Rush' on the Colin Powell. He deserves no more leeway than any other Secretary of State.

If I'm correct, Madeline Albright was one of the first women to serve as 'Secretary of State'. Should I have given her some slack because she was a woman?

Colin Powell, like all those who served before him, should be judged based on his/her performance and NOT on the color of skin or chromosome makeup. Personally I think he's far from the worse when I consider the stupidity of Haig, the criminality of Kissinger and the illegalities of Baker. If Powell ever wants to recoup some of the admiration that he's had he should resign now. Powell will never be given the ability to best serve our country as long as the Bush Regime is pulling the strings!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Jeff in Cincinnati Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 11:41 AM
Response to Original message
21. Anybody who didn't vote for Kissinger
is obviously too young to remember him well. Pure freaking evil! Colin Powell is a beacon of enlightenment by comparison.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pmbryant Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 11:46 AM
Response to Original message
23. I voted for Kissinger
It helps that I just watched "The Trials of Henry Kissinger" last night on video.

:scared:

--Peter
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Unknown Known Donating Member (829 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-15-03 11:53 AM
Response to Original message
24. Kissinger, Baker & Schultz have to be the worst.
I am no fan of Haig, but I have recently been re-examining the attempted assassination of Reagan, and have decided that Haig's role in that has been historically misinterpreted.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Wed May 15th 2024, 09:32 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC