Farid Ghadry
Encyclopedia
Farid al-Ghadry (born on June 18, 1954) is the Syria
n-born co-founder and current president of the United States
-based Reform Party of Syria
, a party lobbying for regime change in Syria. Many of al-Ghadry's critics have compared him to Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi exile who lobbied the US government to invade his home country. Ghadry has functioned as an American defense contractor and businessman, "Frank Ghadry," who represents himself as being born in Lebanon
. Ghadry is a member of AIPAC
, Israel
's main lobbying group in the U.S., and has strongly supported all of Israel's recent wars in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories
.
Ghadry was born in Aleppo
, Syria, but in 1964 his family emigrated to Beirut
, Lebanon
because of political turmoil. There he attended the Maristes Brothers School (Champville - Deek-el-Mehdi). In 1975 the Ghadry family, once again, emigrated to the U.S. and settled in the suburbs of Washington DC. Mr. Ghadry graduated from the American University in Washington DC in 1979 with a degree in Finance and Marketing.
He worked at EG&G Intertech Inc., a subsidiary of EG&G Inc., a Fortune 500
U.S. defense contractor, for two years before starting his own business, International TechGroup Inc., in 1983. This company was Washington-based and produced software for the U.S. Navy to digitize paperwork on aircraft carriers. He sold this business in 1989 and has been involved in many entrepreneurial operations since. In 1990, he began buying antiquated Soviet computers and stripping them for gold plating. Reportedly, Ghadry left Russia when his business came to the attention of "unsavory types." Other businesses have included Hannibal's Coffee Company, a chain of coffee shops that went bankrupt in 1996.
Ghadry, because of his father's work, was granted Saudi citizenship. In September 2007 Ghadry's Syrian citizenship was revoked by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad
after Ghadry appeared before Israel's Knesset
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Farid Ghadry has four children. He is also known in the U.S. as "Frank Ghadry." He has served on the Board of Trustees of Norwood School in Bethesda, MD and headed the Capital Campaign for Crew at St. Albans and National Cathedral Schools.
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n-born co-founder and current president of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based Reform Party of Syria
Reform Party of Syria
The Reform Party of Syria , or RPS is a political party committed to democracy and reform in Syria. It is based in the United States because the present Syrian government does not allow opposition political parties to form without permission. The party is made up of Syrians living in America,...
, a party lobbying for regime change in Syria. Many of al-Ghadry's critics have compared him to Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi exile who lobbied the US government to invade his home country. Ghadry has functioned as an American defense contractor and businessman, "Frank Ghadry," who represents himself as being born in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. Ghadry is a member of AIPAC
American Israel Public Affairs Committee
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is a lobbying group that advocates pro-Israel policies to the Congress and Executive Branch of the United States...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's main lobbying group in the U.S., and has strongly supported all of Israel's recent wars in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
.
Ghadry was born in Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, Syria, but in 1964 his family emigrated to Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
because of political turmoil. There he attended the Maristes Brothers School (Champville - Deek-el-Mehdi). In 1975 the Ghadry family, once again, emigrated to the U.S. and settled in the suburbs of Washington DC. Mr. Ghadry graduated from the American University in Washington DC in 1979 with a degree in Finance and Marketing.
He worked at EG&G Intertech Inc., a subsidiary of EG&G Inc., a Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
U.S. defense contractor, for two years before starting his own business, International TechGroup Inc., in 1983. This company was Washington-based and produced software for the U.S. Navy to digitize paperwork on aircraft carriers. He sold this business in 1989 and has been involved in many entrepreneurial operations since. In 1990, he began buying antiquated Soviet computers and stripping them for gold plating. Reportedly, Ghadry left Russia when his business came to the attention of "unsavory types." Other businesses have included Hannibal's Coffee Company, a chain of coffee shops that went bankrupt in 1996.
Ghadry, because of his father's work, was granted Saudi citizenship. In September 2007 Ghadry's Syrian citizenship was revoked by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
after Ghadry appeared before Israel's Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Farid Ghadry has four children. He is also known in the U.S. as "Frank Ghadry." He has served on the Board of Trustees of Norwood School in Bethesda, MD and headed the Capital Campaign for Crew at St. Albans and National Cathedral Schools.
See also
- Elizabeth CheneyElizabeth CheneyElizabeth Cheney Perry , commonly called Liz, is an American attorney. During the George W. Bush administration years, she held positions in the State Department of the United States...
- Iran Syria Policy and Operations GroupIran Syria Policy and Operations GroupThe Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group was an interagency organization formed in early 2006 within the U.S. government, consisting of officials from the State Department, White House, Central Intelligence Agency, Treasury Department, and other agencies that worked, to influence regime change...
- Israel lobby in the United StatesIsrael lobby in the United StatesThe Israel lobby is a term used to describe the diverse coalition of those who, as individuals and as groups, seek and have sought to influence the foreign policy of the United States in support of Zionism, Israel or the specific policies of its government...
External links
- Farid Ghadry blog
- Reform Party of Syria
- Column archive at Pajamas MediaPajamas MediaPJ Media is a media company that uses the Internet to present and comment on the news.Founded in 2004 by a network primarily, but not exclusively, made up of conservatives and libertarians led by mystery writer, screenwriter, and blogger Roger L...
- Column archive (2009) at Hudson New York
- Learning from Walesa, Farid Ghadry, The National Review, 20 September 2005
- From Hama to Hamas: Syria's Islamist Policies, Farid Ghadry, Jewish Policy CenterJewish Policy CenterThe Jewish Policy Center, founded in 1985, is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank tied closely to the Republican Jewish Coalition.According to Matthew Brooks, director of both the Jewish Policy Center and the Republican Jewish Coalition, the Policy Center is nonpartisan and focuses solely on...
Quarterly, Sprint 2009 - Farid N. Ghadry at SourcewatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- A Syrian Chalabi?, Gary Leupp, Professor of History at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
, 24 December 2005 - Exiled Syrian opposition leader to visit Knesset next month, Ha'aretz, 27 May 2007
- The بندوق pecking order, Barak Ravid and Shahar Ilan, GeorgeAjjan.com, June 11, 2007
- Arab MKs attack visiting exiled Syrian leader, Amnon Meranda, YnetnewsYnetnewsYnetnews is the online English language Israeli news website of Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s most-read newspaper, and the Hebrew Israel news portal, Ynet...
, June 11, 2007