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   Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:17:31 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

   1/ A remarkable book that uses the singular titular document to unlock a much bigger, mostly overlooked story: the US's role in the birth of Bangladesh. Bass argues that Nixon and Kissinger's treatment of Bangladesh has been forgotten by history but shouldn't be. ↵
   #BookReview

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:08 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     13/ and the highly principled arguments for Bangladesh are made by dissident-suppressing India and Russia, while China fears its own breakaway (Taiwan) while America was formed from a similar argument as Bangladesh…it's all a bit head-spinning. ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:08 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     14/ Thus, Kissinger's Realpolitik may end up being the clearest, or most convenient, means of understanding policy. But Kissinger the theoretician takes back seat to Kissinger the human, who both led and enabled Nixon to horrifying decisions that spilled the blood of millions. •

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     Paul Cantrell (inthehands@hachyderm.io)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:08 JST Paul Cantrell

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     @shriramk An astonishing account. Thank you for this summary.

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:09 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     11/ From a more global perspective, it also lays to rest any notion of "consistency" in foreign policy. What constitutes an internal affair and what an external one? Do we push democracy or also lie with dictators? What are a country's policies? ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:09 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     12/ When you have democratic US supporting dictator-led Pakistan suppressing a popular vote (in East Pakistan) and opposing democratic India which gets support of Communist Russia while opposing Communist China while Islamic countries are banding together… ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:10 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     9/ The book is a bit long, and can feel repetitive. The general contours, after all, are established early. Its motive force is the quote after quote from Nixon and Kissinger—often the latter in supplication to the former—that expresses their utter hatred and inhumanity . ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:10 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     10/ For this, we can thank Nixon for his recordings in the White House. These provide the records for Bass to lay out in their own words what would otherwise be a literally unbelievable tale of mendacity and terribleness. ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:11 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     8/ What is not lost—indeed, drives—Bass is that Kissinger and Blood were the same age, but while Kissinger floated through untouched, Blood paid for his bravery with his career, as so often happens to people of conscience. This book is his memorial. ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:12 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     4/ Not all Americans, though. The US consulate in Dhaka was well aware of what was going on from the very beginning. And in a remarkable move, they took advantage of the newly-created "Dissent Channel" to protest US policy, led by Consul General Archer Blood. ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:12 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     5/ Nixon and Kissinger weren't unaware of the cable; they ignored it, mocked it, and spited its author. They were openly contemptuous of the suffering, and generated remarkable pretzel logic. And anyway, they just needed things to stay intact until the big China visit. ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:12 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     6/ The shocking refugee crises this created hardly registered, either. The US public was well aware of it by reporters and the Democratic senate. But this not only didn't affect Nixon, it had no effect either on Kissinger—famously, himself a refugee from a genocidal regime. ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:12 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     7/ A remarkable set of characters makes appearances: Haig, Bush père, Sydney Schanberg (of later Killing Fields fame), Ted Kennedy, McCain père, and almost as comic relief, Chuck Yeager of all people (who may be the only one who gets some deserved comeuppance). ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:13 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     2/ The book is a chilling account of the US partnership with Pakistan's military leadership. The author's argument is that the US was so focused on "opening China", which was facilitated by Pakistan, that it was willing to overlook what he and others deem a genocide. ↵

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     Shriram Krishnamurthi (shriramk@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 12:19:13 JST Shriram Krishnamurthi

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     3/ But the book also highlights Nixon and Kissinger's absolute loathing for India and Indians. They speak of the country and people with bile, hatred, contempt, and deep prejudice, and have little more feeling for the Bengalis. Thus, these are cheap lives easily ignored. ↵