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My name is Derek Chollet

Derek Chollet is the Principal Deputy Director of the Secretary’s Policy Planning Staff. Prior to joining the State Department, he was a Senior Fellow at The Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a non-resident fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Global Economy and Development Program and an adjunct associate professor at Georgetown University. During the Bill Clinton administration, he served in the State Department in several capacities, including as Chief Speechwriter for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke, and Special Adviser to Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott. Mr. Chollet also assisted former Secretaries of State James A. Baker III and Warren Christopher with the research and writing of their memoirs, Holbrooke with his book on the Dayton peace process in Bosnia, and Talbott with his book on U.S.-Russian relations during the 1990s. He was foreign policy adviser to Senator John Edwards (D-N.C.), both on his legislative staff and during the 2004 Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign.

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My Ideas

The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Derek Chollet explains how the fall of the Berlin Wall affected US foreign policy.
Foreign Policy Lessons
Foreign Policy Lessons
Trying to apply sweeping generalizations to foreign policy only does the country a disservice, says Derek Chollet.

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Ideas by Derek

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

Derek Chollet explains how the fall of the Berlin Wall affected US foreign policy.

Foreign Policy Lessons

Foreign Policy Lessons

Trying to apply sweeping generalizations to foreign policy only does the country a disservice, says Derek Chollet.

Iraq As Unfinished Business

Iraq As Unfinished Business

Derek Chollet explains the implications of the controversial decision to not invade Baghdad in 1991.

Why George Bush Sr. Was Not Re-Elected

Why George Bush Sr. Was Not Re-Elected

According to Derek Chollet, the end of the Cold War left Americans unconcerned about foreign policy, and the Democrats used this to their advantage.

Clinton and Foreign Policy

Clinton and Foreign Policy

The pillars of Clinton's foreign policy, democracy promotion, trade, and the use of force when necessary are more controversial today than they were ten years ago.

Foreign Policy Casualties

Foreign Policy Casualties

Derek Chollet explains the Rwandan genocide as a result of a foreign policy too easily swayed by politics.

America and Her Enemies

America and Her Enemies

The organization of the American government can make foreign policy difficult to execute, therefore Clinton's foreign policy is even more admirable.

The Future of Intervention

The Future of Intervention

The UN is not yet prepared to handle international crises, leading Derek Chollet to consider McCain's plan for a new international organization.

From 11/9 to 9/11

From 11/9 to 9/11

The time period after the fall of the Berlin Wall is crucial to understanding the fall of the Twin Towers, says Derek Chollet.

Why Bush is Not to Blame for Everything

Why Bush is Not to Blame for Everything

Derek Chollet explains that for the sake of future decisions, it must be understood that many of our current foreign policy problems arose before 2000.

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