Danielle Pletka
Encyclopedia
Danielle Pletka is the vice-president for foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute
(AEI).
and Reuters
, working in Jerusalem from 1984 to 1985.
From 1987 to 1992, she was a staff writer for Insight on the News.
Pletka was a senior professional staff member for Near East and South Asia with the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 1992 to 2002.
Pletka was a strong supporter of Iraqi opposition leader, Ahmed Chalabi
, even after it emerged he was being investigated by the US authorities as an Iranian spy. Pletka defended Mr Chalabi saying that he had been "shoddily" treated and that CIA and US State Department personnel had been fighting "a rear guard" action against him.
Pletka researches topics related to the Middle East
, South Asia
, terrorism
, and weapons proliferation, and is an AEI
expert on Iraq
. Pletka is also involved in various other projects such as the Committee on the Present Danger
.
On the use of torture
, she told the BBC
:
Pletka is married to Stephen Rademaker
, who in the George W. Bush
presidential administration, was the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control. . The couple has three children.
In an interview on the BBC
's Radio 4 10 O'Clock News on December 7 2010, she defended the reported choice of Visa to withdraw payment facilities from Wikileaks
by saying she hoped that there had been political pressure on the company to do so, and that she believed it was right that the company should not support the activities of an alleged rapist. (Wikileaks
founder Julian Assange
had earlier been detained by UK police on a European Arrest Warrant
on charges made in Sweden.)
American Enterprise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a conservative think tank founded in 1943. Its stated mission is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism—limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and...
(AEI).
Biography
Pletka was editorial assistant with the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
and Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, working in Jerusalem from 1984 to 1985.
From 1987 to 1992, she was a staff writer for Insight on the News.
Pletka was a senior professional staff member for Near East and South Asia with the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 1992 to 2002.
Pletka was a strong supporter of Iraqi opposition leader, Ahmed Chalabi
Ahmed Chalabi
Ahmed Abdel Hadi Chalabi is an Iraqi politician. He was interim oil minister in Iraq in April-May 2005 and December-January 2006 and deputy prime minister from May 2005 until May 2006. Chalabi failed to win a seat in parliament in the December 2005 elections, and when the new Iraqi cabinet was...
, even after it emerged he was being investigated by the US authorities as an Iranian spy. Pletka defended Mr Chalabi saying that he had been "shoddily" treated and that CIA and US State Department personnel had been fighting "a rear guard" action against him.
Pletka researches topics related to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, and weapons proliferation, and is an AEI
American Enterprise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a conservative think tank founded in 1943. Its stated mission is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism—limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and...
expert on Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Pletka is also involved in various other projects such as the Committee on the Present Danger
Committee on the Present Danger
The Committee on the Present Danger is an American foreign policy interest group. Its current stated single goal is "to stiffen American resolve to confront the challenge presented by terrorism and the ideologies that drive it" through "education and advocacy"...
.
On the use of torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
, she told the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
:
Pletka is married to Stephen Rademaker
Stephen Rademaker
Stephen Geoffrey Rademaker is an attorney, lobbyist and former Bush Administration government official.-Education:Rademaker attended the University of Virginia where he received a B.A. in Foreign Affairs, a J.D. , and an M.A. in Foreign Affairs...
, who in the George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
presidential administration, was the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control. . The couple has three children.
In an interview on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Radio 4 10 O'Clock News on December 7 2010, she defended the reported choice of Visa to withdraw payment facilities from Wikileaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
by saying she hoped that there had been political pressure on the company to do so, and that she believed it was right that the company should not support the activities of an alleged rapist. (Wikileaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
founder Julian Assange
Julian Assange
Julian Paul Assange is an Australian publisher, journalist, writer, computer programmer and Internet activist. He is the editor in chief of WikiLeaks, a whistleblower website and conduit for worldwide news leaks with the stated purpose of creating open governments.WikiLeaks has published material...
had earlier been detained by UK police on a European Arrest Warrant
European Arrest Warrant
The European Arrest Warrant is an arrest warrant valid throughout all member states of the European Union . Once issued by a member state, it requires the receiving member state to arrest and transfer a criminal suspect or sentenced person to the issuing state so that the person can be put on...
on charges made in Sweden.)