Zalmay Khalilzad

Inayet Hadi
Emmy Glancy
Melanie
Jeremy
 Agenda

• Personality
• Political Skills
• Technical Skills
• Management Skills
• Experience
• Situational Factors
• Strategic Sense
Personality
 “---wily conciliator, epitomizing a more flexible
American policy:…”- Economist

 “…Khalilzad formed lasting political bonds with

likes of Wolfowitz…” - Right Web

 “ …spent three days negotiating with

malcontents, [the losers in the Afghan
presidential election results]” - Newsweeking
International

 “Some people in Afghanistan call Khalilzad a

dealmaker. The ambassador prefers the term
‘intermediary’” - Newsweek International
Personality
 “… helped broker a cease-fire on Tuesday in the
four-day-long fighting in western Afghanistan…” -
The New York Times

 “…a reputation for being able to work a crowed of

turbaned sheiks at least as well as he works a
meeting of Washington suits.” - Newsweek

 “…particularly adept at navigating Afghanistan’s

complex web of ethnic and tribal politics while
also fending off dubious initiatives from
Washington.” - Newsweek
Personality
 “…overseen a successful referendum, an
election and the drafting of a constitution”-
Newsweek International

 “…proven prowess in orchestrating the

installation of the Hamid Karzai” - Washington
Report on Middle East Affairs

 “Mr. Khalilzad flew to Jordan for some of the talks

[with supposed Iraqi opposition groups]” - The
New York Times
Personality
 “Mr. Khalilzad heartily engaged in backroom deal
making, [at the UN]” - The New York Times

 “We’ll work together day and night until we finish

the job.” Time

 “’getting my hands dirty in the grubby aspects of

politics and policymaking’” - Time

 “…he brings [enthusiasm and savvy] to the

world’s toughest job”- Time
Political Skills
 Experienced
 “It is essential that the United States have one of our best
diplomats leading our mission in Baghdad.” –Condoleeza
Rice

 foreign policy elite since the early 1980’s.

 career began as an advisor for U.S. policies toward the

Middle East

 Knowledgeable
 “Khalizad’s exceptionally thorough knowledge of Middle
Eastern affairs is perhaps the most important resource for
the reconstruction of Iraq.” –Current Biography Magazine

 Proximity to the issue helped to gain the approval of the

Afghan leaders.
Political Skills
• Consensus Builder
 “It is essential that the United States have one of our
best diplomats leading our mission in Baghdad.” –
Condoleeza Rice

 career began as an advisor for U.S. policies toward the

Middle East

 “The President and I have chosen Zal for this job

because he has a proven record of building consensus
and achieving results in very tough situations.” –
Condoleeza Rice
Political Skills
Charismatic
 “Leaders in the U.S. and other

countries were impressed by

Khalizad’s ability to represent U.S.
interests effectively without
appearing unsympathetic to those
in the Middle East.” –Current
Biography Magazine

 Friendly and Informal

 Cultivates personal relationships

with other leaders.

 Style has helped to diminish

bitterness toward the U.S.
Political Skills

 Realistic
“Oh it’s a disappointment, not a significant setback. Look, Iraqis are
in the Middle of a conflict, a disagreement among people about the
future of the constitution that’s supposed to bring them together.” –
Khalilzad

“You know, we should remember that it took us many years to put

our own constitution together and they’re in a much more difficult
circumstance than we were.” –Zalmay Khalilzad

Understood that the Iraq constitution was more of a peace treaty and
that what he had to produce was a road map tp avoid a future civil
war.
Technical Skills
• Academic
• Extensively studied the
Middle East, Asia
•Strategist
Think Tank experience
“a broad-minded pragmatist and an
insightful strategist”—Zbigniew Brzezinski,
former National Security Advisor (Carter
Administration)Academic
Technical Skills

• Diplomat
•Strong ability to forge compromises

•Speaks English, Arab, Dari

•“Zalmay presents himself as from the

region”—Adel Abdul Mahdi, Iraqi Vice
President

•Noted as a poor public speaker, but

amazing “one-on-one”
Technical Skills
Take-aways:
Importance of forging a career path
that hones technical skills in a
particular area of interest while not
closing doors to other paths
Understanding weaknesses, playing to
strengths
Management Skills
“If confirmed, I will work with all Iraqis, all sects, all ethnic
groups, men and women, to accelerate success in
Iraq.” – ZK

 Well-informed
 “He has a unique advantage in a part of the world
in which the United States has become massively
engaged.” –Current Biography Magazine

 Reputation as a strategic political thinker with a

deep understanding of Middle Eastern Politics.

 Persuasive

 “He had to flatter Iraqi Politicians’ wish to be in

control of their own destiny even as he coaxed and
cajoled them into doing what Washington wanted
Management Skills
 Resourceful:
 “The diversity of sects, political parties and

personalities gathered in the grand room was a

promise of his vision for Iraq.” –Solomon Moore
 Seeks diverse relationships

 daily briefings

 Pragmatic:
 “I will work with all Iraqis, all sects, all ethnic

groups, men and women, to accelerate success in

Iraq.” Zalmay Khalizad
 Sets realistic goals.

 Diplomatic style is polished and practical.

Management Skills

 Effective
 “I will be results oriented and I will give this new

assignment my all.” –Zalmay Khalizad

 Helped Afghan refugees return home and rebuild

their lives in freedom.

 Helped to secure the rights of Afghan women.

 Organized elections in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 Helped build a coalition government in Iraq.

Experience
Federal Government
 US Ambassador to the United Nations - Apr. 2007 to
present

 US Ambassador to Iraq - June 2005 to Mar. 2007

 US Ambassador and Special Presidential Envoy to

Afghanistan - Nov. 2003 to June 2005

 US National Security council, Special Assistant to the

President and Senior Director for Islamic Outreach,
Southwest Asia Initiatives - 2001-2003

 Special Presidential Envoy to the Free Iraqis - 2002-3

Experience
Federal Government
 US Defense Department, Assistant Deputy
Undersecretary of Defense, Policy Planning
1991-92

 US State Department,Special Advisor to the

Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs
(1985-89)

 Fellowship with the State Department, worked for

Paul Wolfowitz 1984, then director of Policy
Planning
Experience
Think Tanks / Non-Profit
 Cambridge Energy Research Associates -
Consultant to Unocal , negotiating with the
Taliban to approve the construction of a $2 billion
pipeline.

 Council on Foreign Relations - sponsored a one

year fellowship at the State Department 1984

 Project for the New American Century, charter

signatory of the statement of principle. 1997
Experience
Think Tanks / Non-Profit
 Rand Corporation, director of strategy and
doctrines for the Project Air Force -1993-99;
founded Greater Middle East Studies & served
as board member of Afghanistan Foundation

 Taught political science at University of California

at San Diego, 1989-91

 Assistant Professor at Political Science at

Columbia University - 1979 to 1986. Developed a
friendship with Zbigniew Brzezinski - “broad-
minded pragmatist and insightful strategist.”
Experience
Activism
 Signed onto an open letter to President Clinton in
1998 to overthrow Saddam, which was prepared
by Committee for Peace and Security in the Gulf,
a spin off from the New American Century.
Situational Factors
 Opportunities
 Arab background

 Assistant Professor at Political Science at

Columbia University - 1979 to 1986.
 Developed important friendship with Zbigniew
Brzezinski

 Political and policy domain very open

 Large amount of resources

Situational Factors
 Challenges
 Post 9/11 uneasiness of ethnicity, Arab ties and
motivations, perhaps under closer scrutiny
 International bitterness toward US
 Political roadblocks set up by congress
 Policies that helped/impeded his success
 Low public image of Bush Administration
 Challenges posed by failure to “free” Iraq and poor
public perception of work
Strategic Sense
 Devised plan to provide stinger missiles to the
mujahedeen during Afghan/Soviet Union War
 Showed U.S. involvement, commitment

 Credited with undermining Soviet air

dominance, and eventually, Soviet withdrawal

 Called for shift in focus from Iran to Iraq at

conclusion of Iran-Iraq war
 Favored Saddam’s ousting after Gulf War I;

again in 1998 as “an opportunity to do

something bigger.”
Strategic Sense
 Mid-90’s—favored working with Taliban

 Nixed plan to wipe out opium production in Afghanistan

through aerial spraying
 Understood plan would boost Taliban recruitment,

lead to increased violence

 a threat that could keep the superpowers, or the big

powers, from going against each other, and get them
to cooperate to deal with it. If it’s done correctly”—ZK

 Take-aways:
 Importance of understanding 2nd, 3rd, and 4th (+)

order effects of decisions and actions

Strategic Sense
 Cultural awareness and sensitivity

 Personal relationships are key factors in devising and

executing strategies

 Secure enough stability in Iraq to all for an American

withdrawal
 Brokered Constitutional compromise by bringing

Sunni’s into political processStrategic Sense

“What the war on terror may have brought about—if it’s

done right—is
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