Brent Scowcroft
Brent Scowcroft | |
---|---|
Deputy National Security Advisor | |
In office January 4, 1973 – November 3, 1975 | |
President | Richard Nixon Gerald Ford |
Preceded by | Alexander Haig |
Succeeded by | William G. Hyland |
Personal details | |
Born | Ogden, Utah, U.S. | March 19, 1925
Died | August 6, 2020 Falls Church, Virginia, U.S. | (aged 95)
Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Marion Horner
(m. 1951; died 1995) |
Children | 1 daughter |
Education | United States Military Academy (BS) Columbia University (MA, PhD) |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Air Force |
Years of service | 1947–1975 |
Rank | Lieutenant general |
Brent Scowcroft (
Early life and education
Scowcroft was born March 19, 1925, in
Scowcroft received his undergraduate degree and commission in the
Career
Having envisioned life as a fighter pilot following
As a senior officer, General Scowcroft was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, and served in the Long Range Planning Division, Directorate of Doctrine, Concepts and Objectives from 1964 to 1966. He next attended the
Scowcroft was appointed
His military decorations and awards included the
On the 24th anniversary of the
Before joining the Bush administration, Scowcroft was vice chairman of Kissinger Associates. He had a long association with Henry Kissinger, having served as his assistant when Kissinger was the National Security Adviser under Richard Nixon, from 1969.[22]
Scowcroft was long sought after as a respected, professional and largely apolitical or nonpartisan expert (within the standards of fellow White House veterans) and chaired and served on a number of policy advisory councils, including the President's General Advisory Committee on Arms Control, the President's Commission on Strategic Forces, the
On the morning of
Scowcroft was the founder and president of
Scowcroft was a leading
External videos | |
---|---|
HBO History Makers Series: A Conversation with Brent Scowcroft, October 3, 2007, Council on Foreign Relations |
He backed the invasion of Afghanistan as a "direct response" to 9/11 terrorism, a war that would go on to last about 20 years.[32]
President
In 1998, he co-wrote
His discussions of foreign policy with Zbigniew Brzezinski, led by journalist David Ignatius, were published in a 2008 book titled America and the World: Conversations on the Future of American Foreign Policy.[37]
Scowcroft was a member of the Honorary Council of Advisors for U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC).[38] Critics have suggested that Scowcroft was unethical in his lobbying for the Turkish and Azeri governments because of his ties to Lockheed Martin and other defense contractors that do significant business with Turkey.[39] He was also a member of the board of directors of the
Scowcroft endorsed Hillary Clinton in the run-up for the 2016 United States presidential election.[43]
Evaluation
Scholarly evaluations of Scowcroft's performance have been generally favorable. For example
"Brent Scowcroft was in many ways the ideal national security adviser—indeed, he offers a model for how the job should be done." His "winning formula" consisted of gaining the trust of the key principals of U.S. foreign policymaking, establishing "a cooperative policy process at all levels," one both transparent and collegial, and keeping an "unbreakable relationship with the president," thanks to their close friendship and mutual respect. The result was that Scowcroft "proved to be an extraordinarily effective national security adviser" in comparison with others who have held the office, particularly in light of the difficult and transformative period in which he held office.[44]
Other evaluations from colleagues and national security veterans in both parties echo similar points.
In a largely laudatory obituary, The New York Times noted "his appeal for public service was a classic reminder of a less partisan age, when presidents often reached out to experienced talent, regardless of party loyalties."
The Atlantic Council provided an assessment, with quotes from several experts after Scowcroft's death, that noted "Looking back on his time working with Scowcroft in the Nixon administration, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger explained that 'in a period when America was tearing itself apart,' Scowcroft’s 'steadiness had a calming influence then as did his faith in his country’s ultimate purposes.' Former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates argued that what 'set Brent apart as National Security Advisor was that he played fair…he did not take advantage of his close relationship with the president to disadvantage others.' John Deutch, former Director of Central Intelligence, recalled that “Brent had the ideal temperament to lead the country. He was smart, deceptively articulate with a calm demeanor that often masked his strategic thinking.'"[45]
Scowcroft award
Scowcroft was the inspiration and namesake for a special presidential award begun under the George H. W. Bush administration. According to Gates, the award is given to the official "who most ostentatiously falls asleep in a meeting with the president". According to Gates, the president "evaluated candidates on three criteria. First, duration—how long did they sleep? Second, the depth of the sleep. Snoring always got you extra points. And third, the quality of recovery. Did one just quietly open one's eyes and return to the meeting, or did you jolt awake and maybe spill something hot in the process?"[46] According to Bush himself, the award "gives extra points for he/she who totally craters, eyes tightly closed, in the midst of meetings, but in fairness a lot of credit is given for sleeping soundly while all about you are doing their thing."[47] Scowcroft had gained a reputation for doing such things to the extent that it became a running gag.[48]
Personal life
Scowcroft married Marian Horner in 1951. His wife, a
In March 1993, when Scowcroft was given an honorary KBE by Queen Elizabeth II, his daughter was also received by the Queen.[50]
Death
On August 6, 2020, Scowcroft died at his home in Falls Church, Virginia, at age 95.[51][52] On January 29, 2021, Scowcroft was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[53]
Honors
- Air Force Pilot Badge[54]
- Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge[54]
- Presidential Service Badge[54]
- Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf cluster[55]
- Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster[55]
- Presidential Medal of Freedom (1991)[56]
- Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service (2016)[57]
- Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Military version (KBE) (1993)[56]
- Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 3rd Class (2006)[58]
- Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2009)[56]
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2016)[59]
Honorary degrees
Location Date School Degree District of Columbia 1989 George Washington University Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[60]Utah April 24, 1992 Brigham Young University Doctor of Public Service (DPS)[61] Virginia 2000 College of William & Mary Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL)[62] New York May 18, 2005 Columbia University Doctor of Laws (LL.D)[63]Utah December 10, 2010 Weber State University Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL)[64] See also
- Biography portal
- History of the United States National Security Council 1989–1992
References
- ^ "Brent Scowcroft". Center for Strategic and International Studies. 2012. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
- ^ "Brent Scowcroft Oral History". Miller Center of Public Affairs. October 27, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ "Brent Scowcroft". Aspen Institute. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ a b c McFadden, Robert D. (August 6, 2020). "Brent Scowcroft, a Force on Foreign Policy for 40 Years, Dies at 95". The New York Times. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ "LIEUTENANT GENERAL BRENT SCOWCROFT". www.af.mil.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ a b Weaver, Dustin (March 7, 2017). "Senate panel approves Trump adviser keeping his military rank". TheHill.
- ^ "Biographies : Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft". Af.mil. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ^ ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ https://www.usslibertyveterans.org/pdfs/LVANewsletter2017-04.pdf
- ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/06/15/spy-ship-brought-in-from-the-cold/d3d94b1a-34ca-4d66-8d53-dbb9045b09a2/
- ^ https://www.usslibertyveterans.org/pdfs/LVANewsletter2017-04.pdf
- ^ https://www.usslibertyveterans.org/pdfs/LVANewsletter2017-04.pdf
- ^ https://www.usslibertyveterans.org/pdfs/LVANewsletter2017-04.pdf
- ^ https://www.wrmea.org/1992-june/israel-s-attack-on-the-uss-liberty-cracks-in-the-25-year-cover-up.html
- ^ https://www.wrmea.org/1992-june/israel-s-attack-on-the-uss-liberty-cracks-in-the-25-year-cover-up.html
- ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/06/15/spy-ship-brought-in-from-the-cold/d3d94b1a-34ca-4d66-8d53-dbb9045b09a2/
- ^ https://www.wrmea.org/1992-june/israel-s-attack-on-the-uss-liberty-cracks-in-the-25-year-cover-up.html
- ^ "Questions Surround Ceremony for Survivors of Uss Liberty". March 20, 2015.
- ^ "Sununu and the Jews". Newsweek. July 7, 1991.
- U.S. Department of State. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ Scowcroft, Brent; Hamilton, Lee (December 12, 2011). "[Letter from Lee H. Hamilton and Brent Scowcroft of the Blue Ribbon Commission for America's Nuclear Future to President Barack Obama Regarding Nuclear Waste Disposal and the Fiscal Year 2013 Budget]". Homeland Security Digital Library.
- ISBN 978-0-465-01501-6.
- ^ [1] Archived August 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Double Warning Against Iraq War". Commondreams.org. August 5, 2002. Archived from the original on September 21, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ^ "Interviews – Brent Scowcroft | Gunning For Saddam | FRONTLINE". PBS. November 20, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ^ Kessler, Glenn (October 16, 2004). "Scowcroft Is Critical of Bush". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
- ^ Priest, Dana; Wright, Robin (January 7, 2005). "Scowcroft Skeptical Vote Will Stabilize Iraq". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
- ^ Rice, Andrew (September 6, 2004). "Brent Scowcroft Calls Iraq War "overreaction"". The New York Observer. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
- ^ Scowcroft, Brent (January 4, 2007). "Getting the Middle East Back on Our Side". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
- ^ Goldberg, Jeffrey (October 24, 2005). "Breaking Ranks". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- American Academy of Achievement.
- ^ "William Oliver Baker Award Recipients – INSA".
- ^ vanden Heuvel, Katrina (October 19, 2004). "Scowcroft Blasts W." The Nation. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- OCLC 1244862785.
- ^ Kakutani, Michiko (September 22, 2008). "A Dialogue and a Discourse on America's Global Role". The New York Times.
- ^ "USACC. Brent Scowcroft". Archived from the original on April 11, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
- ^ "Kissinger, Iraq, BNL". Pinknoiz.com. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ^ "International Republican Institute web site, accessed July 16, 2010". Archived from the original on April 28, 2010.
- ^ "SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs". Sipa.columbia.edu. Archived from the original on December 21, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ^ "Brent Scowcroft | AMERICA ABROAD MEDIA". Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ Blake, A. 78 Republican politicians, donors and officials who are supporting Hillary Clinton.. The Washington Post. December 7, 2016.
- ^ Ivo Daalder and I. M. Destler, In the Shadow of the Oval Office: Profiles of the National Security Advisers and the Presidents They Served—From JFK to George W. Bush (2009), p. 170.
- ^ "Celebrating the 'impeccable integrity and unbounded courage' of Brent Scowcroft". Atlantic Council. September 10, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
- ^ Wilkie, Christina (May 12, 2010). "Fall asleep in the Oval Office? You could win a 'Scowcroft award'". The Hill. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
- ^ "The Boss Lauds a Champion Sleeper". The New York Times. January 18, 1990. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
- ^ Roberts, Argetsinger, Roxanne, Amy (December 14, 2011). "Brent Scowcroft and the art of sleeping through the meeting". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Marian Horner Scowcroft – St. Francis Hospital (Pittsburgh) School of Nursing Memorial Site". Lindapages.com. July 18, 1995. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ^ "Court Circular – People – News". The Independent. March 18, 1993. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ^ "Longtime presidential adviser Brent Scowcroft dies at 95". NBC News. Associated Press. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ Source - https://www.nationalguard.mil/coronavirus/videoid/782086/, Video - https://www.dvidshub.net/video/embed/782086, caption - Lt Gen Brent Scowcroft Arlington National Cemetery Interment, Air Force Television Pentagon (SAF/PAI), Jan. 29, 2021, 2:36, text - Lt Gen Brent Scowcroft was a United States Air Force officer who was a two-time United States National Security Advisor under presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush. He was given military funeral honors at Arlington National Cemetery on 29 Jan, 2021.
- ^ ISBN 978-1586489632.
- ^ a b "Longtime Public Servant Brent Scowcroft Dies". Texas A&M Today. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c Brent Scowcroft | The Scowcroft Group, biography
- ^ "Remarks Honoring Brent Scowcroft with the DOD Distinguished Public Service Award". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
- ^ "Vabariigi President". www.president.ee. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "General Scowcroft awarded Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun – The Scowcroft Group". www.scowcroft.com. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Honorary Degree Recipients – GW Libraries". library.gwu.edu. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "SCOWCROFT SAYS NOW IS TIME TO HELP SHAPE WORLD
". Deseret News. April 24, 1992. Retrieved December 4, 2018. - ^ "Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft". Bush School of Government and Public Service. Texas A&M University. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ "Complete List of Recipients (1945–Present) – Office of the Secretary of the University". secretary.columbia.edu. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Former National Security Advisor to Receive Honorary Degree". www.weber.edu. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
Further reading
- Daalder, Ivo H., and I. M. Destler. In the Shadow of the Oval Office: Profiles of the National Security Advisers and the Presidents They Served—From JFK to George W. Bush. New York: ISBN 978-1416553199.
- Sparrow, Bartholomew H. "Realism's Practitioner: Brent Scowcroft and the Making of the New World Order, 1989–1993." JSTOR 24916037.
- Sparrow, Bartholomew. The Strategist: Brent Scowcroft and the Call of National Security (2015)
Primary sources
- ISBN 978-0465015016.
- ISBN 0679432485.
- doi:10.2307/20049532.
- ISBN 978-0876094204.
- Scowcroft, Brent. "A World in Transformation." JSTOR 42896448.
- Scowcroft, Brent. "Don't Attack Saddam." Wall Street Journal, August 15, 2002, p. A12.
- Scowcroft, Brent. "Foreword." JSTOR resrep03678.
- Scowcroft, Brent. "Getting the Middle East Back on Our Side." New York Times, January 4, 2007.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brent Scowcroft.- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Brent Scowcroft at IMDb
- Brent Scowcroft on Charlie Rose
- Brent Scowcroft bio at The Scowcroft Group at the Wayback Machine (archived April 30, 2008)
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Brent Scowcroft at The West Point Center for Oral History at archive.today (archived April 16, 2013)
- Brent Scowcroft collected news and commentary at The New York Times