Speaker Biographies

January 18, 2006

Thomas Donnelly is a resident fellow in defense and security policy studies at AEI and editor of Armed Forces Journal. He is the author of The Military We Need: The Defense Requirements of the Bush Doctrine (AEI Press, 2005), Operation Iraqi Freedom: A Strategic Assessment (AEI Press, 2004); and AEI’s monthly National Security Outlook. In February 2005, he was appointed by Senator Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) to a two-year term on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Before coming to AEI, he served as the director of strategic communications and initiatives at Lockheed Martin and as deputy executive director of the Project for the New American Century. From 1995 to 1999, he was the policy group director, as well as a professional staff member, for the Committee on National Security (now the Committee on Armed Services) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Donnelly has also been the executive director of The National Interest, editor of the Army Times, and deputy editor of Defense News.

Ambassador James Jeffrey has served as the senior advisor to the secretary of state and coordinator for Iraq since August 2005. His responsibilities include developing, coordinating, and leading implementation of policy on Iraq. As a career member of the United States Foreign Service, Ambassador Jeffrey has also served as the U.S. charge d’affairs to Iraq (March to June 2005); as the deputy chief of mission in Baghdad (June 2004 to March 2005); and as the ambassador to Albania (2002 to 2004). His other assignments include deputy special representative for Bosnian Implementation; postings in the department’s European and Near Eastern Bureaus; and service in Turkey, Bulgaria, Germany, and Tunisia.

Frederick W. Kagan joined AEI in May 2005 as a resident scholar in defense and security policy studies. Previously he was an associate professor of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He is the coauthor of While America Sleeps: Self-Delusion, Military Weakness, and the Threat to Peace Today (St. Martin’s Press, 2000), as well as of numerous articles on defense and foreign policy issues in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Weekly Standard, Policy Review, Commentary, Parameters, and elsewhere. He will come out with his book Finding the Target (Encounter Books), an examination of military transformation, in early 2006.

Lieutenant General Raymond T. Odierno has served as the Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since October 2004.  From August 2004 to October 2004, he acted as the Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army.  He has also served as the Commanding General of the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Hood Texas and during Operation Iraqi Freedom (October 2001 to August 2004); as the Director of Force Management in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans (July 1999 to July 2001); and as the Assistant Division Commander (Support), 1st Armored Division (August 1998 to July 1999).  He was educated at the United States Military Academy, North Carolina State University, and the United States Naval War College. His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.

Peter W. Rodman has served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs since July 16, 2001.  He is responsible for advising the Secretary of Defense on the formulation and coordination of international security strategy and policy in East and South Asia, the Middle East and Persian Gulf, Africa, and Latin America. Mr. Rodman also acted as Director of the State Department Policy Planning Staff (1984-1986); Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (1986-1987); Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and NSC Counselor (1987-1990); and Special Assistant to Dr. Henry Kissinger (1969-1977).  Mr. Rodman has also held positions of responsibility outside of the government: he was most recently Director of National Security Programs at the Nixon Center (1995-2000). He has also been a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and at the Johns Hopkins Foreign Policy Institute.