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OPINION: Kissinger left complex foreign-policy legacy
Possibly no one had more influence on American foreign policy in the late 20th century than Henry Kissinger, who died [on Nov. 29] at age 100. In his long and active career, he advised presidents, carried out policies and initiatives, and was a highly visible figure around the world. While it’s early to pronounce judgment […]
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Possibly no one had more influence on American foreign policy in the late 20th century than Henry Kissinger, who died [on Nov. 29] at age 100. In his long and active career, he advised presidents, carried out policies and initiatives, and was a highly visible figure around the world.
While it’s early to pronounce judgment on Kissinger’s legacy, it’s clear that his impact is mixed. His accomplishments were both positive and negative. He was respected and he was reviled.
Kissinger is the only person to have served as national security adviser and secretary of state at the same time, positions he held in the Nixon and Ford administrations. He was brilliant and secretive, and he wasn’t much focused on the human cost of his policies. He was interested in strategy, not values.
He showed little interest in democratic governance or transparency. A creature of the executive branch, Kissinger seemed to almost scorn the idea of three separate and coequal branches of government. You sometimes got the impression he had contempt for Congress.
I was not close to Kissinger, but our paths did cross on foreign-policy matters. I served in Congress, and we approached policy from different perspectives. Coincidentally, we were both connected to the commission that investigated the 9/11 [terror] attacks. Kissinger was the original pick to chair the group, and former Sen. George Mitchell was to be vice chair. Both stepped down because of perceived conflicts of interest. Former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean chaired the 9/11 Commission, and I was vice chair.
Kissinger’s view of the world, which he characterized as sober realism, may have been influenced by his background as a Jew who spent his childhood in Nazi Germany, before his family fled and settled in New York City. He was a very talented man and, wherever he went, in academic, policy circles and government, he rose to power very quickly. In the 1970s, Kissinger was widely praised for his diplomatic work. When he was named secretary of state in 1973, a Gallup Poll found him to be the most respected man in the world.
He engineered President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972, opening the door to improved U.S.-Chinese relations and ultimately reshaping the geopolitical map. Kissinger promoted détente with the Soviet Union, helping to reduce Cold War tensions. In the Middle East, his tireless shuttle diplomacy improved relations between Israel and its neighbors. These were real accomplishments.
Kissinger shared the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the agreement that ended the Vietnam War. His critics found that highly ironic. During the war, Kissinger orchestrated the U.S. bombing and invasion of Cambodia, which expanded the conflict and fueled a civil war that eventually brought the Khmer Rouge to power, resulting in up to 3 million deaths. The Cambodia disaster was exhibit No. 1 for critics who accused Kissinger of war crimes, but he was also tied to a brutal military coup in Chile, Indonesia’s bloody invasion of East Timor, a violent civil war in East Pakistan, and other foreign-policy disasters.
Kissinger later had a lucrative career in consulting. He clearly enjoyed being a celebrity, rubbing elbows with rich and powerful people and being photographed with glamorous women. He became a great figure on the social circuit in Washington. Getting Kissinger to attend your dinner was a big achievement.
Henry Kissinger left quite a stamp on American foreign policy. He was a master of developing strategy and exercising power. But American greatness isn’t just about using force and gaining advantage. It also relies on our faith in democratic governance and our belief in human rights and the dignity of all people. There is a place for sober realism, but American foreign policy should be grounded in our values.
Lee Hamilton, 92, is a senior advisor for the Indiana University (IU) Center on Representative Government, distinguished scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, and professor of practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Hamilton, a Democrat, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years (1965-1999), representing a district in south-central Indiana.
JEFFREY R. RITCHIE, CPA has joined FustCharles as a principal. He comes aboard the Syracuse–based accounting firm after working at a big 4 accounting firm for the past 11 years, where he held positions within the risk-assurance practice. Ritchie specializes in risk, controls, and IT assurance and has extensive experience in system and organization-controls reporting
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JEFFREY R. RITCHIE, CPA has joined FustCharles as a principal. He comes aboard the Syracuse–based accounting firm after working at a big 4 accounting firm for the past 11 years, where he held positions within the risk-assurance practice. Ritchie specializes in risk, controls, and IT assurance and has extensive experience in system and organization-controls reporting (SOC 1 and SOC 2), internal-control transformation projects, SOX 404 compliance, IT-control assessments, process improvement, and control-readiness assessments. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Siena College.
VIP Structures, an integrated design-build firm, has hired SARA MORRIS as a construction-project coordinator, ROSEMARY POINDEXTER as a controller, RUBEN ARCE as a network administrator, and SIMON SHUSTER as an assistant project manager. Prior to joining VIP Structures, Morris gained business-ownership experience as a part-owner of Mello Vello. She has a bachelor’s degree in industrial
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VIP Structures, an integrated design-build firm, has hired SARA MORRIS as a construction-project coordinator, ROSEMARY POINDEXTER as a controller, RUBEN ARCE as a network administrator, and SIMON SHUSTER as an assistant project manager. Prior to joining VIP Structures, Morris gained business-ownership experience as a part-owner of Mello Vello. She has a bachelor’s degree in industrial design from Syracuse University. Her new role will include supporting project management and estimating tasks. Before joining VIP Structures, Poindexter served as controller at Catholic Charities of Onondaga County, where she managed fiscal responsibilities and led a team. She holds an MBA degree in public accounting and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from SUNY Oswego. Arce joins VIP as a network administrator in the IT department and brings more than a decade of IT infrastructure experience and several years managing substantial support-call volume and developing and conducting IT training. Shuster comes aboard VIP as an assistant project manager. He has previous experience as a project engineer, specializing in industrial mass-concrete structures. His experience includes managing mass-rebar installations and coordinating concrete logistics. Shuster has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Arizona State University.
TANYA WILLIAMSON has been appointed the inaugural assistant VP in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Syracuse University. Williamson — who previously served as associate director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Barnes Center at The Arch —began in her new role on Jan. 2. As assistant VP, Williamson will manage departmental operations,
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TANYA WILLIAMSON has been appointed the inaugural assistant VP in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Syracuse University. Williamson — who previously served as associate director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Barnes Center at The Arch —began in her new role on Jan. 2. As assistant VP, Williamson will manage departmental operations, budget and planning, and project management of the university’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan. She will also supervise staff in the following areas: inclusion and belonging, learning and development, and research and assessment. Williamson joined the Barnes Center in 2021 and led projects related to DEIA within the integrated center for health and wellness. Prior to coming to Syracuse University, Williamson, who is also an executive coach and consultant, held several positions at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and worked as a lead and staff psychologist. She earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Binghamton University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Michigan State University.
Nascentia Health recently promoted RYAN BLEHAR to executive VP of human resources. With a tenure of more than 11 years at the organization, Blehar’s elevation reflects his outstanding leadership and enduring contributions, Nascentia Health said. In his new role, Blehar will take on the crucial responsibility of overseeing the organization’s human resources department. Nascentia Health
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Nascentia Health recently promoted RYAN BLEHAR to executive VP of human resources. With a tenure of more than 11 years at the organization, Blehar’s elevation reflects his outstanding leadership and enduring contributions, Nascentia Health said. In his new role, Blehar will take on the crucial responsibility of overseeing the organization’s human resources department. Nascentia Health has appointed JOE CHEVRETTE as executive VP of information security & technology. With more than five years of service to the organization, he brings a wealth of expertise and experience to his new role. In this position, Chevrette will lead Nascentia Health’s information security and technology efforts. His extensive background and deep understanding of health-care technology will be instrumental in advancing Nascentia Health’s mission. JESSICA NELSON has been named executive VP of finance at Nascentia Health. She brings extensive financial expertise and experience to her new role. In this role, Nelson will assist in overseeing Nascentia Health’s financial operations, guided by the leadership of the CFO. LEE FOXTON has been appointed assistant VP of finance at Nascentia Health. With more than seven years of service at Nascentia Health, Foxton brings significant financial expertise and a deep understanding of the organization. In this role, he will actively contribute to Nascentia Health’s financial operations, providing valuable support to the finance team under the guidance of the CFO. Nascentia Health has named WHITTNEY REED its new director of human resources. With more than two years of service at Nascentia Health, Reed’s fresh perspective and leadership will play a vital role in the department’s success, Nascentia Health said. In her new role, Reed will play a pivotal role in supporting Nascentia Health’s substantial growth by leading HR strategies, fostering a thriving workplace culture, and championing employee well-being. Her experience and dedication to HR excellence will be instrumental in aiding the organization’s efforts to attract, develop, and retain top talent during this period of expansion, the organization stipulated.
JOHN GRANATO has joined Interior Innovations as its interior architectural consultant. Granato is responsible for business development of the architectural products category including glass walls, interior and exterior signs, acoustics, auditorium seating, and more. Granato comes to Interior Innovations from Stone Central Syracuse, where he worked for eight years, including most recently as director of
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JOHN GRANATO has joined Interior Innovations as its interior architectural consultant. Granato is responsible for business development of the architectural products category including glass walls, interior and exterior signs, acoustics, auditorium seating, and more. Granato comes to Interior Innovations from Stone Central Syracuse, where he worked for eight years, including most recently as director of business development. Before that, he owned and operated his own interior design company, Master Designs, where he focused on kitchen and bath design. Granato attended Onondaga Community College (OCC), where he received an associate degree in architecture and associate degree in interior design. He also went on to serve at OCC as an adjunct faculty member for five years, teaching its first kitchen and bath design courses.
ANDREA HINES has been appointed director of SRCTec and Defense Systems and Technologies (DS&T) Finance at SRC, Inc. In her new role, Hines will assume responsibility for overseeing all financial aspects of SRC’s product development and SRCTec’s manufacturing operations. Her responsibilities include budgeting, forecasting, program-finance execution, and ensuring the efficient allocation of resources and the
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ANDREA HINES has been appointed director of SRCTec and Defense Systems and Technologies (DS&T) Finance at SRC, Inc. In her new role, Hines will assume responsibility for overseeing all financial aspects of SRC’s product development and SRCTec’s manufacturing operations. Her responsibilities include budgeting, forecasting, program-finance execution, and ensuring the efficient allocation of resources and the successful execution of financial strategies. Hines is also the primary interface to SRCTec for Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) and Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) reporting and audit management. Hines has held various positions within the financial sector of the defense industry for more than 20 years. She joined SRC in 2014, most recently serving as senior manager of program finance at SRCTec. Hines holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. Bonaventure University and a master’s degree in business management from Le Moyne College.
Town of Sullivan receives more than $3.5M state grant for water-infrastructure project
SULLIVAN, N.Y. — The Town of Sullivan was recently awarded a New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) grant, totaling $3,576,000 to fund the Whitelaw Water District. The Whitelaw Water District will serve properties along Whitelaw Road, Pine Ridge Road, Gee Road, Clark Road, Eddy Road, and Waterbury Road, according to a Dec. 13
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SULLIVAN, N.Y. — The Town of Sullivan was recently awarded a New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) grant, totaling $3,576,000 to fund the Whitelaw Water District.
The Whitelaw Water District will serve properties along Whitelaw Road, Pine Ridge Road, Gee Road, Clark Road, Eddy Road, and Waterbury Road, according to a Dec. 13 news release from Town of Sullivan Supervisor John M. Becker. The Sullivan town board approved the Whitelaw Water District on June 1, 2022.
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Dec. 12 announced the Whitelaw Water District is among the projects awarded more than $479 million in grants for critical water infrastructure across the state.
“If it was not for the hard work of Barton & Loguidice, Comptroller Beth Ellis, as well as the Town of Sullivan Town Board, this project may have never happened,” Becker said in the release. “This grant combined with a $1 million earmark from Congressman Brandon Williams, makes this project that much closer to reality. I am proud of the hard work everyone did to provide our residents with access to safe public water.”
The water-infrastructure project is set to get underway in 2025, Becker added.
Nearly 15,000 people reside in the town of Sullivan, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The town is located in the northwestern corner of Madison County.
Bassett’s O’Connor Hospital in Delhi receives reaccreditation
DELHI, N.Y. — O’Connor Hospital, part of the Bassett Healthcare Network, announced it recently achieved reaccreditation by the Joint Commission after an on-site assessment and survey. Hospital surveys by the Joint Commission generally last for three straight days and occur every three years. Accreditation is a condition for hospital licensure as well as Medicaid and
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DELHI, N.Y. — O’Connor Hospital, part of the Bassett Healthcare Network, announced it recently achieved reaccreditation by the Joint Commission after an on-site assessment and survey.
Hospital surveys by the Joint Commission generally last for three straight days and occur every three years. Accreditation is a condition for hospital licensure as well as Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement.
The Joint Commission, founded in 1951, is a global organization that accredits and certifies more than 22,000 health-care organizations and programs across the country. All hospitals, health systems, and health services much achieve certain accreditations to remain in operation. At hospitals, clinicians and other experts perform the on-site assessments through interviewing, observation, and audits. They evaluate quality and safety, organization performance, care plans, and other metrics that demonstrate standards for care.
“It was great to witness how O’Connor Hospital staff came together to welcome the Joint Commission surveyors and show off our hospital and all the great work they do each and every day,” O’Connor Director of Nursing and Operations Daniel Endress said in a press release announcing the achievement. “Every team member has an important role, and they all contribute immeasurably to O’Connor being a successful organization.”
As a critical-access hospital, O’Conner provides care with 23 acute-care medical and surgical beds, including extended care “swing” beds for patients needing additional time and therapy to recover from illness or surgery. In addition to inpatient, pharmacy, laboratory, imaging, and emergency care, O’Connor offers specialty clinics provided by Bassett Healthcare Network practitioners in a variety of areas.
Founded in 1921, O’Connor Hospital joined the Bassett Healthcare Network in 1988. In 2000, it was one of the first hospitals in the state to receive federal designation as a critical-access hospital, per the release. O’Connor was also recently honored by the American Hospital Association for 50 years of participation and leadership within the association.
Potter named to American Red Cross board of directors
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The American Red Cross board of directors for the Central and Northern New York chapter has appointed Brian J. Potter of Dannible & McKee, LLP to the board. The nonprofit American Red Cross offers relief for victims of disaster, provides health and safety training, offers support for the military, helps maintain a
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The American Red Cross board of directors for the Central and Northern New York chapter has appointed Brian J. Potter of Dannible & McKee, LLP to the board.
The nonprofit American Red Cross offers relief for victims of disaster, provides health and safety training, offers support for the military, helps maintain a stable blood supply, and offers various programs and services to the community. The local chapter serves Onondaga, Oswego, Madison, Oneida, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Potter is a tax partner and the partner-in-charge of IT services at Dannible & McKee, a certified public accounting and consulting firm with offices in Syracuse, Auburn, Binghamton, and Schenectady. He has more than 17 years of experience in taxation and planning for individuals and closely held companies, Dannible & McKee said. Potter specializes in manufacturing, construction, multi-state corporations, and high-net-worth individuals.
Potter previously served as a board member for LAUNCH and the Syracuse International Flim Festival. He is a past recipient of the 40 Under Forty award presented by the Central New York Business Journal and BizEventz. Potter holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from SUNY Oswego and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Le Moyne College.
Established in 1978, Dannible & McKee provides audit, tax, and accounting services as well as financial-management consulting to clients nationwide. The firm employs more than 115 professional and support personnel, including 22 partners.
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