Le procès de Henry Kissinger

Though a bit dated, The Trials of Henry Kissinger provides a brief summary of the controversial career of one of America's most (in)famous diplomats.

Based on the book, the film covers both sides of the debates against Kissinger. Presented in a trial format, the film allows the viewers to develop their own opinions. Whether Kissinger was a war criminal or a pragmatic realpolitik apparatchik, we decide.

The film also delves a bit into Kissinger's personal life to help us understand his evolution. Viewers can emphasize why Kissinger adopts his own brand of amoral realpolitik over dogmatic idealism. As the film progresses, we see the adoption of Kissinger's rise to power/fame/infamy.

3.5 or 4/5. A bit dated, but a solid introduction to the career and life of Henry Kissinger.

The movie presents an insightful summary of Kissinger's reign from 1969 to 1974. My curiosity however really lay on understanding the man. Why did the superbrain chose aggression? The movie helped cursorily. I sensed that Kissinger was caught up in a game of power, and that he played by the old rules of the turn of the century leaders he studied.

This movie deserves anywhere from 6.5 stars to 7. No more, no less. The editing & narration is done in such a shuffled & boring way that I had to stop the movie 3 times in 2 days. I couldn't finish it in one sitting. The reason why this is important is because I've been watching war documentaries all this week- hoping to compile my own with all I've seen. I've taken notes on SuperPower, Manufacturing Consent, Sicko, Commanding Heights, The Secret Government, 911 Road to Tyranny, Fog of War, and this. This by far as been the most boring movie I've had to take notes on. Not just boring, but depressing as well. How a man like this can assume so much power is beyond me, but then again he is a "Rockefeller" man, so I shouldn't be surprised one bit. As far as I knew he was Rockefeller pawn, in that the evil bastard used him to do his bidding. I know the 2 were in cahoots, so this explains why he gave Nixon & himself so much power, as well as the CIA etc. These evil men acted as a cancer to an already sick democratic society, and it is all but Game Over. I have learned enough to know that a lot of sick men like HK have spread their influence too wide, & too covertly to show any difference. (Too the unaware anyway.)

This movie has good information, and it's about the only documentary I know of that investigates Henry Kissinger solely. As someone mentioned he was involved with the 9/11 commission. More proof in my eyes that it was an inside job carried about by the Masons. Henry even gives a masonic handshake to one of the Vietnamese prime ministers or what not. As shown in the video 10-13 seconds at the very beginning. Don't think of me as a conspiracy theorist, but as a historical analyst. There's lot's of proof showing the plan/steps for a New World Order. Don't underestimate the Free Masonic influence in America & all across the world either. You shall see one day. I'll be working to prove it.

The news of Henry Kissinger being selected to head the commission to investigate the Sept. 11 attacks makes seeing the new documentary, `The Trials of Henry Kissinger,' required viewing.

Based on a book by Christopher Hitchins, the film shows many former Kissinger supporters - including Nixon speech-writer, William Safire - calling the former National Security Advisor and Secretary of State secretive, a liar and even a war criminal.

Kissinger's Cold War schemes of bombing Cambodia, the genocidal invasion of East Timor by Indonesia and the coup and related atrocities in Chile are all well researched in this 80 minute film.

One of the many documentary interviewees is René Schneider Jr. His father, Gen. René Schneider, was head of the Chilean military when Allende was first elected. The general was killed during an attempt to kidnap him, as he was staunchly committed to the constitution, and would not bow to a coup against Allende. Evidence points to Kissinger directing that botched kidnapping.

Near the end of the film, Schneider is asked if he planned to press charges against Kissinger for his role. His response was, `we are considering it.' The date when charges finally were first reported in the //New York Times// was Sept. 11, 2001. The $3 million civil suit against Kissinger quickly faded into the background in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

With Kissinger to chair the Sept. 11 probe, things appear to have come full circle now.

Based on a book by journalist Christopher Hitchens, The Trials of Henry Kissinger, a documentary by Eugene Jarecki, argues that the former U.S. Secretary of State and Nobel Peace Prize recipient should be tried for war crimes for his role in the overthrow of the democratically elected government in Chile in 1973, the secret bombing of Cambodia in 1969, and U.S. support for Indonesia's 1975 invasion of East Timor, events that led to the slaughter of millions. Applying the same legal standards to which Pinochet and Milosevic have been held, Hitchens branded Dr. Kissinger as a war criminal who should be brought to justice for crimes against humanity. Narrated by actor Brian Cox, the documentary is presented in lively "60 Minutes" fashion using archival footage, background music, and a combination of interviews with Kissinger associates and journalists such as Seymour Hersh, William Safire, and Hitchens himself.

The film attempts to maintain a balanced tone but Dr. Kissinger's only defenders are former staff members William Shawcross and Alexander Haig and there are no interviews with Dr. Kissinger himself (who refused to be interviewed). A refugee from Nazi Germany, Kissinger. rose to prominence in American politics thanks to his realpolitik approach to improving America's power position in the world relative to Russia and China. One of the main contentions of the film is that Kissinger, as a member of the Johnson team at the Paris Peace Talks, was also a secret advisor to Richard Nixon's presidential campaign of 1968. In that double role, he torpedoed the Paris Peace Talks by persuading South Vietnam Premier Thiéu to back out of the talks in order to prevent the Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey from taking political advantage of a Vietnam settlement before the election.

Another supporting piece of evidence is that Kissinger bombed Cambodia without the knowledge of Congress, an action that led to the death of 500,000 Cambodians, the destabilization of the country and the rise of the bloody Khmer Rouge regime of Pol Pot. Jarecki also argues that Kissinger's clandestine support of Indonesia President Suharto's invasion of East Timor suppressed an independent movement and led to the deaths of 100,000 Timorese. Jarecki's case is built on a series of recently declassified documents that contradict Kissinger's written memoirs and show that Washington had supported Suharto using American weapons designed only for defensive purposes. They also indicate that Kissinger played a major role in Chile in the kidnapping and murder of General René Schneider and was deeply involved in the overthrow of the government of Salvador Allendé in Chile on September 11, 1973. Jarecki interviews Gen. Schneider's son who reveals that he is considering pressing charges against Kissinger for his part in the murder.

The Trials of Henry Kissinger is timely and the idea that statesman should be held accountable for their actions under International Law is a compelling issue that deserves to be debated in public forums.

Yet to me the real culprit is not the role of one man, nefarious as it may be, but a shortsighted policy that sees third world people only as tools in a U.S. global economic and political power struggle. Assassination of foreign leaders, secret foreign policy decisions, and lying to the American people did not start with Kissinger and, as we see in today's news, did not end when he stepped off the world stage.