America, Shultz believed, should welcome the young Russian apparatchik virtually from the moment he took over in March 1985, halfway through Shultz's service as secretary of state. When George Shultz arrived at the State Department, there had been virtually no substantive contact between the two adversaries for years. It was Schultz who helped move Russia out of the grips of communism and guided America into the post-Cold War era. As Blinken put it Sunday evening, "An ardent champion of diplomacy, Secretary Shultz strengthened America's relationships and advanced our interests with strategic brilliance and great patience. Every Secretary of State who came after George Shultz has studied him -- his work, his judgment, his intellect.

Source: The Nation February 08, 2021 03:03 UTC