| With the passing of George Shultz, the nation has lost an icon of decency and wisdom, and we all lost a role model. I never had the pleasure of working with him, but every time we crossed paths, I learned something and learned something to admire. I recall a seminar with him and Henry Kissinger, talking about nuclear weapons at Princeton, Shultz’s and my alma mater. Years earlier, quite out of the blue, he asked me to speak to a financial house advisory board about drug policy, especially the idea of legalizing marijuana, about which I had written. I was pleasantly stunned by his intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness. Several years ago, I was in San Francisco for an event by Bob Woodruff’s foundation for veterans, and Shultz was in prime form — at 97 I think — fielding questions. And none of us will forget his op-ed, celebrating his centenary, just a few months ago, on trust — a quality he embodied and one we need now more than ever. Gregory F. Treverton – Chairman, Global TechnoPolitiocs Forum.  George Shultz, whose tenure as Secretary of State I covered for Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal, never let politics or personalities trump his principles. He understood that negotiation, at home and abroad, is a sign of strength, not weakness, as he demonstrated in his dealings with the Soviet Union. He knew that listening is more important than talking, and that America first doesn’t mean America alone. None of that, of course, made him immune to criticism. He feuded with Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, who was more reluctant to use military force to achieve political ends; his “fresh start” effort at Middle East peacemaking failed; and his support for deploying fellow Marines to Beirut on a “mission of presence” yielded more costs than benefits. Sadly, the U.S. failed to apply the lessons of Lebanon to Somalia, Afghanistan or Iraq. A nation too often blinded, deafened and dumbed down by histrionics and hysteria will miss his stoicism, though. A wealthy graduate of Princeton and MIT, he understood that with privilege comes responsibility, not entitlement. Once, as he was leaving his limousine in front of the old U.S. Embassy on Grosvenor Square in London, a member of his security detail accidentally closed the door on his hand. He never uttered a sound, just shook it off and walked inside. A country corroded by crudity will miss his grace, as well. On the dance floor, he was graceful and light on his feet, as my wife Nancy learned taking a turn with him at a State Department dinner for Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Still, one constant remains in the nation’s capital. “Nothing ever gets settled in this town,” he said. Semper Fi, Mr. Secretary. John Walcott, Advisory Board member, Global TechnoPolitics Forum. |
A la recherche du Shultz perdu
