Salute to Henry Kissinger, 100 today

Henry Kissinger is possibly the most famous person on the planet. Never mind all the pop stars and rock stars, the popes and presidents and others on the so-called A List of celebrities. Kissinger has been around for 100 years and has more wisdom and knowledge in his head than most of the world's population put together. I met him twice, each time in a relatively intimate setting with a dozen or so other journalists sitting round a table in a special dining room in the posh part of London, and just listened to him answering our questions. He was a formidable presence and each occasion was unforgettable. There will be many commentators who will try to gainsay his reputation by pointing to his involvement in the decision to launch a massive bombing campaign against Cambodia in 1969/70 when 110,000 tons of bombs were dropped, causing mass casualties. But as a statesman and diplomat and supreme intellect he probably had more influence on the world than any other comparable figure in modern history. His opinions are sought still to this day by presidents and prime ministers. He is a unique figure and has an esteeemed place in history. May he have many more birthdays.