Reply #4: Back in December, Obama asked Henry Kissinger to go to Russia for him.

[MADem]

Why Henry? Because the Russkies like him.

What was his task? To lay the groundwork to enable Team Obama to broker this deal.

Obama didn't even wait to be sworn in--he got Henry working on this so that the details would be fleshed out sufficiently to be announced during this overseas tour.

I'd say that's some pretty impressive foresight.

Obama gets full marks from me for this. He was able to put partisan divides aside for the greater good of the planet. AND...he got the ball rolling EARLY. Impressive.

By Adrian Blomfield in Moscow


Friday February 06 2009

Henry Kissinger, the pioneer of Cold War detente during the Nixon era, has made a return to front-line politics after US President Barack Obama reportedly sent him to Moscow to win support from Vladimir Putin's government for a nuclear disarmament initiative.

It is believed that the 85-year-old former US secretary of state met President Dmitry Medvedev for secret negotiations in December.

According to Western diplomats, during two days of talks Mr Kissinger courted Russian officials in an attempt to win support for Mr Obama's initiative, which could see Russia and the US each cutting their nuclear arsenals to 1,000 warheads....Mr Obama apparently chose Mr Kissinger for his consummate diplomatic skills and his popularity in Moscow, an affection earned by his open acknowledgment of Russia's international resurgence.

Despite his pariah status with many in the Democratic Party, the president forged relations with Mr Kissinger during his election campaign. The compliment was returned when the 85-year-old veteran of the Nixon and Ford administrations said last month that the president was in a position to create a "new world order" by shifting US foreign policy away from the hostile stance of the Bush administration.

Further demonstrating his willingness to work with his opponents on foreign policy issues, Mr Obama turned to two veteran Republicans steeped in Cold War experience to press home his plans.

Shortly after Mr Kissinger's trip, Richard Lugar, a Republican senator who has worked on nuclear disarmament issues for 30 years, also visited Moscow. George Schultz, another former secretary of state, has also played a role.

....

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/americas/us-sends-kissinger-to-broker-nuclear-deal-1630155.html