Why esteem for Kissinger transcended political divisions

One of the few things that still brings the Republican and Democratic political establishments together is their shared reverence for Henry Kissinger.

- Julian Borger

Kissinger's death, at the age of 100, has served as a reminder that the wide-ranging and substantial allegations of war crimes against him never dimmed the admiration he inspired among the powerful in Washington.

"Henry Kissinger, war criminal beloved by America's ruling class, finally dies," was the Rolling Stone headline on his obituary, expressing the bewilderment and frustration of many progressives at his enduring popularity among the elite.

Republican tributes were hardly surprising - it was as national security adviser and then secretary of state to Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford that Kissinger made his mark on the world.

What is more striking is the enduring fealty of Democrats, who otherwise identify as liberals and defenders of human rights on the world stage.

The current secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said he had sought Kissinger's counsel as recently as a month ago, and issued a lengthy tribute to Kissinger's "enduring capacity to bring his strategic acumen and intellect to bear on the emerging challenges of each passing decade".