Zbigniew Kazimierz (Kazimierz) Brzezinski (1928-2017) - American political scientist, sociologist and statesman of Polish origin. National Security Advisor to 39th US President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981).
One of the founders of the Trilateral Commission - an organization engaged in the discussion and search for solutions to world problems. For many years, Brzezinski was one of the leading ideologues of US foreign policy. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the 2 highest awards for civilians in the United States.
Brzezinski is considered by many to be one of the most famous anti-Sovietists and Russophobes. The political scientist himself never concealed his views on Russia.
The most famous book (written in 1997) is The Grand Chessboard, which contains reflections on the geopolitical power of the United States and on the strategies through which this power can be realized in the 21st century.
There are many interesting facts in the biography of Brzezinski, which we will talk about in this article.
So, here is a short biography of Zbigniew Brzezinski.
Biography of Brzezinski
Zbigniew Brzezinski was born on March 28, 1928 in Warsaw. According to another version, he was born in the Polish consulate in Kharkov, where his father and mother worked. He grew up in the family of a Polish nobleman and diplomat Tadeusz Brzezinski and his wife Leonia.
When Brzezinski was about 10 years old, he began to live in Canada, since in this country his father worked as the Consul General of Poland. In the 50s, the young man received American citizenship, making an academic career in the United States.
After completing his secondary education, Zbigniew entered McGill University, subsequently becoming a Master of Arts. Then the guy continued his education at Harvard. Here he defended his thesis on "the formation of a totalitarian system in the USSR."
As a result, Zbigniew Brzezinski was awarded a Ph.D. in political science. During the biography of 1953-1960. he taught at Harvard, and from 1960 to 1989 at Columbia University, where he directed the Institute for Communism.
Politics
In 1966, Brzezinski was elected to the Planning Council of the State Department, where he worked for about 2 years. An interesting fact is that he was the first to suggest explaining everything that happens in socialist states through the prism of totalitarianism.
Zbigniew is the author of a large-scale anti-communist strategy and a new concept of American hegemony. In the 1960s, he served as an advisor to the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.
Brzezinski was one of the harshest critics of Soviet policy. In addition, he had a negative attitude towards the Nixon-Kissinger policy.
In the summer of 1973, David Rockefeller formed the Trilateral Commission, a non-governmental international organization aimed at rapprochement and cooperation between St. America, Western Europe and Asia (represented by Japan and South Korea).
Zbigniew was entrusted to head the commission, as a result of which he was its director for the next 3 years. During the biography 1977-1981. he worked as a national security adviser in the Jimmy Carter administration.
It is important to note that Brzezinski was an ardent supporter of the secret CIA operation to involve the Soviet Union in an expensive military confrontation, about which he wrote to Carter at the beginning of the Afghan war: "Now we have the opportunity to give the USSR its own Vietnam War."
An interesting fact is that in his interviews Zbigniew Brzezinski publicly admitted that it was he, together with the American president, who initiated the emergence of the Mujahideen movement. At the same time, the politician denied his involvement in the creation of Al-Qaeda.
When Bill Clinton became the new head of the United States, Zbigniew was a supporter of NATO's eastward expansion. He spoke extremely negatively about the actions of George W. Bush in foreign policy. In turn, the man showed his support for Barack Obama when he participated in the presidential elections.
In the following years, Brzezinski acted as a political advisor and expert on a number of projects. In parallel with this, he was a member of the Atlantic Council, in the organization "Freedom House", was one of the key members of the Trilateral Commission, and also held a significant place in the American Committee for Peace in Chechnya.
Attitude towards the USSR and Russia
The political scientist has never hidden his opinion that only America should occupy a leading position in the world. He treated the USSR as a defeated adversary, which in fact in all areas was inferior to the United States.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Brzezinski continued the same policy towards the Russian Federation. In his interviews, he stated that Americans should not be afraid of Vladimir Putin.
Instead, the West should clearly define its areas of interest and do everything it can to uphold and defend them. He is obliged to cooperate with Russia only in cases of mutual benefit.
Zbigniew once again stressed that he did not regret supporting the mujahideen during the Afghan war, since during the military conflict the United States managed to lure the Russians into an Afghan trap. As a result of the protracted confrontation, the USSR was demoralized, which led to its collapse.
Brzezinski also added: “What is more important for world history? Taliban or collapse of the USSR? " Curiously, in his opinion, Russia will be able to fully develop only after Putin's departure.
Zbigniew Brzezinski believed that the Russians needed to cooperate and get closer to the West, otherwise the Chinese would take their place. In addition, the prosperity of the Russian Federation is impossible without democracy.
Personal life
Brzezinski's wife was a girl named Emily Beneš, who was a sculptor by profession. In this marriage, the couple had a girl, Mika, and two boys, Jan and Mark.
An interesting fact is that at the beginning of 2014, Zbigniew's daughter stated that her father repeatedly beat her with a comb. At the same time, the head of the family did it in public places, making Mika feel shame and humiliation.
Death
Zbigniew Brzezinski died on May 26, 2017 at the age of 89. Until the end of his days, he consulted American officials on foreign policy issues.
Brzezinski Photos
