National Security Chat with Rand Beers
04 May 2007 12:36 am by Taylor Marsh
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| DAY: Saturday, May 5th TIME: 12:00 p.m. pacific/3:00 p.m. eastern Place: Firedoglake |
Just wanted to give everyone a heads up on something I'll be doing over at Firedoglake on Saturday. I'm hosting a national security chat with guest Rand Beers, who was the national security adviser to the Kerry-Edwards campaign back in 2004. As an aside, he is not advising any campaign in the '08 primary season. We will be talking about Iraq and the region. One thing I found on his National Security Network site I thought I'd share with you.
With no end in sight, the Bush plan for Iraq is to avoid the appearance of defeat in the next two years and pass the buck to the next president.
That about says it all, doesn't it?
Beers has worked for Reagan, both Bushes, as well as Clinton. But just five days before Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq Beers resigned. For years it has been Beers's view that Bush is making the U.S. “less secure, not more secure.” Others have written the same thing, as far back as 2003.
Here's some current info on Beers.
President, National Security
NetworkRand Beers served as the National Security adviser to the Kerry-Edwards 2004
campaign. Previously he spent 35 years as a senior civil servant. After serving
as a Marine officer and rifle company commander in Vietnam, he entered the
Foreign Service in 1971 and the Civil Service in 1983. From 1988-98, Mr. Beers
served on the National Security Council Staff at the White House as Director
for Counter-terrorism and Counter-narcotics, Director for Peacekeeping, and
Senior Director for Intelligence Programs. From 1998-2003 he was Assistant
Secretary of State for International. Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
In 2002-03 he was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for
Combating Terrorism. In 2002-03 he was Special Assistant to the President
and Senior Director for Combating Terrorism at the National Security Council.
Beers earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.A. from the University
of Michigan.
Here's a bit about the National Security
Network: The mission is to revitalize America's national security policy,
and bring cohesion and strategic focus to the progressive national security
community. NSN works with a broad network of experts to identify, develop and
communicate progressive national security policy solutions. National Security
Network served as the national security war room for the DSCC and DCCC during
the 2006 elections, regularly training and providing advice on international
issues to more than 50 campaigns and candidates. NSN works closely with the
Americans Against Escalation in Iraq campaign working to provide guidance on
policy that will bring a responsible end to the war.
If you want to read further on Beers, this interview on “Hardball” in 2006 is very instructive.
The discussion will begin with a radio interview that should last 15 minutes or so, which I'll also offer in podcast. Afterwards, Rand will join the conversation in
the comment section over at Firedoglake, where I'm hosting the chat. I hope you can join us.
It should be a lot of fun and very informative.
Radio interview followed by online chat @ Firedoglake
Date: Saturday, May 5th
Time: 12:00 p.m. pacific – 3:00 p.m. eastern
Subject: Iraq war and the region
