George Shultz, the U.S. secretary of state who survived bitter infighting in President Ronald Reagan’s administration to help forge a new era in American-Soviet relations and bring on the end of the Cold War, died on Saturday at age 100, the California-based Hoover Institute said.
A man of broad experience and talents, Shultz achieved success in statesmanship, business and academia. Lawmakers praised him for opposing as sheer folly the sale of arms to Iran that were the cornerstone of the Iran-Contra scandal that marred Reagan’s second term in office.
He also wrote books and took stands against the Cuban embargo, climate change, and Britain’s departure from the European Union. His most recent book, written with James Timbie, a long-time State Department adviser and published in November 2020 ahead of Shultz’s 100th birthday, was entitled ‘A Hinge of History.’
