Lessons from Kissinger's legacy in Cyprus and the East Med

Henry Kissinger, the controversial former US National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, passed away on Wednesday, aged 100. He was both celebrated and reviled, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize while being roundly condemned by many as a war criminal. The regions and conflicts that Kissinger intervened in, leaving a dark legacy, include Cyprus, where the former Secretary of State normalized US appeasement of Turkey almost a half-century ago when he secretly backed Turkey’s invasion of the island. Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former Pentagon official, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss Kissinger’s legacy, particularly in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, and look at the lessons it holds for policymakers today.

You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:

Henry Kissinger: Divisive diplomat who shaped world affairs

Henry Kissinger’s Inflated Reputation

Henry Kissinger Should Apologize for Serving Turkish Imperialism

Henry Kissinger’s long history of appeasing dictatorships

Erdogan wants ‘new page’ with Athens

US ‘profoundly’ worried over Turkey’s financial links to Hamas