Zbigniew Brzezinski

Zbigniew Brzeziński was a Polish-American diplomat and political scientist who served as the National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981. He was a prominent scholar of international relations and geopolitics, and a founder of the Trilateral Commission, a non-governmental organization that aimed to foster cooperation among the United States, Europe, and Japan. He was also a professor of American foreign policy at Johns Hopkins University and a frequent commentator on global affairs. Brzeziński played a key role in shaping the Carter administration's foreign policy, especially in relation to the Soviet Union, China, Iran, and Afghanistan. He advocated for human rights, democracy, and strategic balance in the world. He was instrumental in normalizing relations with China, brokering the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, supporting the Solidarity movement in Poland, and arming the Afghan mujahideen against the Soviet invasion. He was also involved in the Iran hostage crisis, the SALT II treaty, and the Panama Canal treaties. Brzeziński was a prolific writer and published many books and articles on international politics and history. Some of his most influential works include Totalitarian Dictatorship and Autocracy (1956), Between Two Ages: America's Role in the Technetronic Era (1970), The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives (1997), and Strategic Vision: America and the Crisis of Global Power (2012). He was known for his sharp intellect, visionary ideas, and outspoken views. He was also a mentor to many politicians and diplomats, including Madeleine Albright, Zalmay Khalilzad, and Barack Obama. Brzeziński died of heart failure at the age of 89 in 2017. He was survived by his wife, three children, and five grandchildren. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential and respected figures in the field of international relations.