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That (taken out of context quote) was true during the Cold War because of the cynical realpolitik that Kissinger himself was a proponent of. For example he was against the US supporting Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. That would likely have led to Israel being wiped out but not before launching nuclear missiles at Arab states and the Eastern European Soviet/Warsaw pact states that were supporting and arming the Arab states. Knowing Kissinger that was most likely his goal; lose Israel but turn every major industrial center in the Soviet Union and Warsaw pact into nuclear wasteland.