Robert Kagan

From SourceWatch

Robert Kagan is a senior associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a co-founder of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC) and was one of the signers of the January 26, 1998, PNAC letter sent to President William Jefferson Clinton.[1] He is considered to be one of the leading neo-conservatives.

Foreign Policy Initiative

The Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) is a neoconservative think tank begun in 2009 by William Kristol and Robert Kagan, two founders of the Project for the New American Century. FPI is, according to its website, "intending to qualify as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code: and "that promotes continued U.S. engagement -- diplomatic, economic, and military -- in the world and rejection of policies that would lead us down the path to isolationism; robust support for America’s democratic allies and opposition to rogue regimes that threaten American interests; the human rights of those oppressed by their governments, and U.S. leadership in working to spread political and economic freedom; a strong military with the defense budget needed to ensure that America is ready to confront the threats of the 21st century; and, an international economic engagement as a key element of U.S. foreign policy in this time of great economic dislocation." [2]

Kagan Background

Kagan worked at the State Department Bureau of Inter-American Affairs (85-88) and was the principal speech writer for Secretary of State George P. Shultz (84-85). Prior to that, he was foreign policy advisor to Jack Kemp (83). His name is associated with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Kagan, who has written for the New Republic, Policy Review, the Washington Post, and the Weekly Standard, now lives in Brussels, Belgium, with his family.

Robert and his brother Frederick Kagan are the sons of Donald Kagan.[3]

In November 2004 Kagan visited Australia as a guest of the conservative Sydney think tank Centre for Independent Studies to deliver the annual John Bonython Lecture and Dinner.[4]

Ahead of the lecture Kagan told ABC Radio that if diplomatic measures failed to deter Iran developing its nuclear capability the US may resort to military measures. "Again, one would hope, and maybe there are signs that diplomatic efforts will succeed, but anyone who thinks that it's inconceivable that there could be a military option in Iran sometime down the road I think is making a mistake," he said.[5]

Member of the Aspen Strategy Group.

• Jury Member (2007), Council on Foreign Relations: Arthur Ross Book Award ^[1]

Books

• Robert Kagan, "Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order", Knopf, January 2003. ISBN 1400040930
• Robert Kagan and William Kristol, "Present Dangers: Crisis and Opportunity in American Foreign and Defense Policy, Encounter Books, 2000. ISBN 1893554163
• Robert Kagan, "A Twilight Struggle: American Power and Nicaragua, 1977–1990, Free Press, March 1996. ISBN 0028740572.

SourceWatch Resources

• Henry Jackson Society
• Nicaragua
• Project for the New American Century, PNAC
• The Foreign Policy Initiative
• Frederick Kagan, Robert's brother

External links

• Robert Kagan, "The Crisis of Legitimacy: America and the World", Center for Independent Studies, November 9, 2004.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, "Robert Kagan: Senior Associate", undated, accessed November 2004.
• Mark Colvin, "America still capable of military strikes: Robert Kagan", PM, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, November 8, 2004.