Hot on the heels of my recent post (July 22nd) about the nation of Tuvalu in which I mentioned the names Pukasavilivili and Tepuka ViliVili (islands in Tuvalu) and Mikheil Saakashvili (the third and current president of Georgia -- not my Georgia, the other one) comes word that the once highest-ranking member of the United States military died on July 23rd at the age of 75.
His name: General John M. Shalikashvili.
It’s nothing short of poetic, a kind of gift falling out of the sky, post-wise.
General Shalikashvili was the first foreign-born soldier to reach the rank of four-star General in the U.S. Army. He was Supreme Allied Commander Europe (NATO) from 1992 to 1993, and was appointed Chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff by President Clinton in 1993. He served in that capacity until his retirement from a 38-year military career in 1997.
Born in Warsaw, Poland, to Georgian refugees, he came to the United States in 1952 at the age of 16 and attended high school in Peoria, Illinois. His father, Prince Dmitri Shalikashvili (1896- 1978), had served in both the army of Imperial Russia in World War I and Germany’s SS Waffengruppe Georgien during World War II. Other ancestors of General Shalikashvili include Prince Ivane Shalikashvili, Prince Ioseb Shalikashvili, Princess Mariam Andronikashvili, Princess Ekaterine Guramishvili, and Prince Tadeoz Guramishvili. In Georgia (not mine, the other one), adding “vili” at the end of your name is apparently the key to success.
Here he is with two other people you will recognize, President Billclintonvili and his wife (the current U.S. Secretary of State), Hillary Rodhamclintonvili in 1993.
According to Wikipedia, the retired general was an advisor to John Kerryvili’s 2004 Presidential campaign, and in 2007 penned an op-ed in the New York Times calling for a reversal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell”. A similar op-ed by him appeared in the June 19, 2009, Washington Post. The policy was reversed July 22, 2011, the day before his death, when a certification that repeal would not harm military readiness was sent to Congress by President Barack Obamavili, Secretary of Defense Leon Panettavili, and Admiral Mike Mullenvili, current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Very fortuitous. Well except for General Shalikashvili.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is a reason why it's Shooting Parrots.
thay guy looks like george c scott who played the part of general patten
ReplyDeleteShooting Parrots, your point is valid, and thanks for the link.
ReplyDeletePutz, I thought the same thing. In full face shots they look nothing alike; but in profile the similarity is amazing!