Immigration Law

IMMIGRANT OF THE DAY: ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI - STATESMAN

By Greg Siskind

Maybe its a state of the times that Zbigniew Brzezinski's daughter Mika, co-host of MSNBC's popular Morning Joe political chat show, is probably better known than her father. The Polish-born Professor Brzezinski was, however, President Carter's National Security Advisor.

Brzezinski's father was a diplomat and during the years leading up to World War II, his family lived in Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia, two experiences that surely had an impact on him. He eventually moved to Canada and attended university there. In the 50s, he attended graduate school at Harvard and then joined their faculty. He later moved to Columbia University and while there served as an advisor to John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson.

Jimmy Carter noted during his 1976 campaign that he studied the writings of Brzezinski and then tapped the professor for his Administration. He played a role from the very beginning, including writing part of Carter's inaugural address.

Brzezinski was never a popular figure and fought with fellow members of the Carter Administration over the continuation of the Nixon-Ford policy of détente with the Soviets. His promotion of the Solidarity movement in Poland was criticized, though most analysts believe that the later fall of the communists in Eastern Europe was a vindication of his positions.

Professor Brzezinski is still an active player in foreign affairs and is regularly interviewed regarding his opinions. He's been a vocal critic of the Bush Administration's waging of the War on Terror and has also weighed in on the current presidential campaign.

Full post as published by Greg Siskind's Blog on October 21, 2008 (boomark / email).