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Institutional
Affiliations
Foundation for the Defense of Democracies: Member, Board of Advisors (2)
Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs: Member, Board of Advisors (3)
Hudson Institute: Member, Board of Trustees (4)
Center
for Security Policy: Member, National Security Advisory
Council (7)
U.S. Committee for a Free Lebanon: Golden Circle Supporter (8)
Council on Foreign Relations: Chairman, Study Group on non-lethal options in overseas contingencies (report published in 1995) (2)
Project
for the New American Century: Signed numerous PNAC advocacy
letters (14)
Committee for the Liberation of Iraq: Member (13)
Committee on the Present Danger: Member (15)
Middle
East Forum/U.S. Committee for a Free Lebanon: Signed 2000 document
sponsored by both groups calling on the United States to force Syria
from Lebanon (12)
American Committee for Peace in Chechnya:
Member
American Enterprise Institute: Resident Fellow
Government
Service
Department of Defense: Member, Defense Policy Board (was chairman until 2003) (1)
Department of Defense: Consultant to the Secretary (current) (4)
Department of Defense: Assistant Secretary of Defense (1981-87) (1)
U.S. Senate: Staff (1969-1980) (served on the staff of Sen. Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson, the Senate Committee on Government Operations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Arms Control Subcommittee) (4)
Corporate
Connections/Business Interests
Hollinger International Co-Chairman (1, 4)
Trireme Partners L.P.: Managing Partner (9)
Global Crossings: Consultant (11)
Morgan Crucible: Co-chairman (4)
Jerusalem Post: Co-chairman (4)
Education
Princeton University: M.A., Political Science (1967) (4)
University of Southern California: B.A., International Relations (1964) (4)
London School of Economics: Honors Examinations (1962-1963) (4)
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Highlights
& Quotes
Richard
Perle, dubbed the "Prince of Darkness" because of his
advocacy of hardline anti-Soviet policies (i.e. "total war")
while in Reagan's Defense Department, is the neocons' 10-ton guerilla.
Perle's antics and questionable business interests--which have been
widely reported--are too numerous to comprehensively recount here.
Suffice it to say that when the New Yorker's Seymour Hersh documented
Perle's business dealings in the Middle East on behalf of the venture
capital firm Trireme, Perle threatened to sue the journalist, saying
that he was the "the closest thing American journalism has
to a terrorist." (9, 10)
Hersh's article, "Lunch with the Chairman," discussed possible conflicts of interest resulting from Perle's dual role as chairman of the Defense Policy Board and as a partner for Trireme, a company that invests in homeland security and defense-related industries. Hersh recounts how Perle met with Adnan Khashoggi, a Saudi arms dealer, and another Saudi businessman in early 2003. Various people interviewed by Hersh, including Khashoggi, indicated that Perle and Trireme seemed to be sending the message that in return for Saudi investment backing, the "Chairman" would use his Pentagon connections to influence U.S. policy. (9)
Soon
after the Hersh piece was published, columnist Maureen Dowd and
other journalists documented Perle's relationship to Global Crossings,
a bankrupt communications giant and defense contractor that was
seeking Pentagon permission to be sold to the Asian company Hutchinson
Wampoa (the same Hutchinson Wampoa whose interests in Panama sparked
a loud and nasty round of conservative hand-wringing about a Chinese
attempt to take control of the Panama Canal). Although Perle denied
any wrongdoing, he admitted through his attorney that he was hired
by Global Crossings to consult with a reluctant Defense Department
about the deal. (11)
In late March 2003, Perle announced that he was stepping down from his post as chairman of the Defense Policy Board, writing in his resignation letter to Donald Rumsfeld, "I have seen controversies like this before and I know that this one will inevitably distract from the urgent challenge in which you are now engaged. I would not wish to cause even a moment's distraction from that challenge. As I cannot quickly or easily quell criticism of me based on errors of fact concerning my activities, the least I can do under these circumstances is to ask you to accept my resignation as chairman of the Defense Policy Board." (11)
Widely regarded as one of the chief architects of the war in Iraq, Perle has for decades supported the work of a number of right wing think tanks and advocacy groups, including the Committee on the Present Danger, the Project for the New American Century, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, the American Enterprise Institute, the Hudson Institute, and the Center for Security Policy.
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