Our misjudgments of friend and foe alike reflected our profound ignorance of the history, culture, and politics of the people…We underestimated the power of nationalism to motivate a people…to fight and die for their beliefs and values…and we continue to do so today in many parts of the world. (from “In Retrospect,” Robert McNamara’s book in which he talks about the U.S. in Vietnam.)
America’s experience has been one of problems faced and solved economically, politically or militarily. **Robert (Bob) Deutsch, retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer who served as a State Dept. Sr. Advisor on Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan moderates next week’s Einstein’s Circle. He thinks we exaggerate the scope of our solutions to international problems and then try to move on. His experience tells him that the rest of the world doesn’t always see it our way and that their history shapes their actions in ways we continue to resist as though meaningless or undiscovered.
As a practitioner, rather than a theorist, Bob will guide us through the separate issues of Iran, Iraq, the Kurds, and Syria. He will point out where and why their histories require separate approaches and where there are linkages among them. We’ll examine parts of South West Asia to see how each of them may or may not be amenable to a global policy and how each affect U.S. interests and security. Join us at Einstein’s Circle for this timely and important presentation and discussion, Wed., Feb. 10 from 3:00 to 4:30 PM in USFSM’s Selby Auditorium. Seating is limited, so advance registration is advised. » Click to Register
Einstein’s Circle for LLA at USFSM
Producer: Bev Harms / Assoc. Producers: Don Hagan, Julie Cotton, Don Hagan
**ROBERT (Bob) DEUTSCH is a veteran of 38 years advancing U.S. national interest at the U.S. State Dept. as a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service. As a Special Envoy to the Iraqi Kurds, he helped manage the safe haven the United States guaranteed in Northern Iraq, led mediation efforts when fighting broke out between Kurdish factions and led the effort to rally international support for the containment of Iran. He was Senior Advisor on Iraq to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice after the fall of Saddam Hussein and worked on re-establishment of the post-war Iraqi economy. In 2009, he became Sr. Advisor to Richard Holbrook, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and provided economic guidance in developing a U.S. Assistance program for those countries. As one of his parting accomplishments, he led negotiations to reopen U.S. military supply lines to through Pakistan after a series of incidents caused Pakistan to shut down our access. He is the recipient of numerous Superior Honor Awards and Presidential Merit Awards.
