Geoffrey Kemp
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Kemp is the Director of Regional Strategic Programs at The Nixon Center. He has had a long career in academic and research communities and the U.S. Government.
, IISS). In that capacity, he published two path-breaking monographs on the problem of arms transfers to the third world, especially the Middle East (Arms to Developing Countries, 1945–1965, Adelphi Paper No. 28 with John L. Sutton and Arms and Security: The Egypt-Israel Case, Adelphi Paper No. 52).
In 1967, Kemp moved to the MIT Center for International Studies where he worked for two years on a project for the US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency on the control of weapons to the third world. During this time he published an essay in Foreign Affairs
, “Dilemmas of the Arms Traffic.” While at MIT, he completed his PhD in Political Science and served as the Executive Secretary of the Harvard-MIT Arms Control Seminar.
In 1971 he began a ten year career as Associate Professor on the faculty of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University
and was tenured in 1975. During this period, Kemp was awarded the International Affairs Fellowship by the Council on Foreign Relations
and a fellowship from the Harvard Program for Science and International Studies.
He spent a year in the Department of Defense
in 1975, working with the Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs in the Policy Planning Department. He then became Consultant to the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and published a widely distributed study on US Military Sales to Iran (co-authored with Robert Mantel). The study highlighted the extraordinary difficulties the United States found itself with in providing the Shah
with highly modern weapons against a background of traditional society that was not happy to find tens of thousands of Americans descending on its villages and training its military in ways of modern warfare.
In the late 1970s, Kemp became a Consultant to the Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation in the Pentagon working for Paul Wolfowitz
, the Persian Deputy Assistant Secretary. During that time, Kemp was one of the authors of a major study on the vulnerability of the American position in the Persian Gulf
. Together with Dennis Ross
and others, Kemp wrote the first draft of the report indicating the dangers to American interests of growing Soviet involvement with regional countries, particularly Iraq
.
In 1981 Kemp joined the Reagan administration and was appointed as Senior Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs on the National Security Council
. Two years later, in 1983, he was promoted to Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. In these capacities Kemp’s mandate included covering many conflicts facing the United States across the region stretching from Marakesh to Bangladesh. He was involved in policy decisions concerning the Lebanon Crisis, the Arab-Israeli dispute, the emerging American presence in the Persian Gulf
, and the war in Afghanistan.
Leaving the White House in January 1985, Kemp worked for a year at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
, Georgetown University and then embarked on a nine year tenure at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
. At Carnegie he ran the Middle East Arms Control Program and published and co-authored several notable books on Middle East Security and growing problems between the United States and Iran.
In 1995, Kemp assumed his current position at the Nixon Center, where he has continued to publish a number of studies on the contemporary Middle East. He also completed a major textbook with Robert Harkavy entitled Strategic Geography and the Changing Middle East.
Kemp frequently appears in the media commenting on foreign affairs, particularly on issues concerning the Middle East and US Security. The current focus of his work is the growing importance of China and India in the Middle East. In 2006, he wrote an essay summarizing his basic thesis, “The East Moves West” in the journal The National Interest
.
Life
After graduating from Oxford University in 1965 he was appointed as a Research Associate at the London based Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS) (the Institute was later to be named the International Institute for Strategic StudiesInternational Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a British research institute in the area of international affairs. It describes itself as "the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict"...
, IISS). In that capacity, he published two path-breaking monographs on the problem of arms transfers to the third world, especially the Middle East (Arms to Developing Countries, 1945–1965, Adelphi Paper No. 28 with John L. Sutton and Arms and Security: The Egypt-Israel Case, Adelphi Paper No. 52).
In 1967, Kemp moved to the MIT Center for International Studies where he worked for two years on a project for the US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency on the control of weapons to the third world. During this time he published an essay in Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
, “Dilemmas of the Arms Traffic.” While at MIT, he completed his PhD in Political Science and served as the Executive Secretary of the Harvard-MIT Arms Control Seminar.
In 1971 he began a ten year career as Associate Professor on the faculty of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts 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...
and was tenured in 1975. During this period, Kemp was awarded the International Affairs Fellowship by the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
and a fellowship from the Harvard Program for Science and International Studies.
He spent a year in the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
in 1975, working with the Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs in the Policy Planning Department. He then became Consultant to the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and published a widely distributed study on US Military Sales to Iran (co-authored with Robert Mantel). The study highlighted the extraordinary difficulties the United States found itself with in providing the Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
with highly modern weapons against a background of traditional society that was not happy to find tens of thousands of Americans descending on its villages and training its military in ways of modern warfare.
In the late 1970s, Kemp became a Consultant to the Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation in the Pentagon working for Paul Wolfowitz
Paul Wolfowitz
Paul Dundes Wolfowitz is a former United States Ambassador to Indonesia, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, President of the World Bank, and former dean of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University...
, the Persian Deputy Assistant Secretary. During that time, Kemp was one of the authors of a major study on the vulnerability of the American position in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. Together with Dennis Ross
Dennis Ross
Dennis B. Ross is an American diplomat and author. He has served as the Director of Policy Planning in the State Department under President George H. W...
and others, Kemp wrote the first draft of the report indicating the dangers to American interests of growing Soviet involvement with regional countries, particularly 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....
.
In 1981 Kemp joined the Reagan administration and was appointed as Senior Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs on the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
. Two years later, in 1983, he was promoted to Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. In these capacities Kemp’s mandate included covering many conflicts facing the United States across the region stretching from Marakesh to Bangladesh. He was involved in policy decisions concerning the Lebanon Crisis, the Arab-Israeli dispute, the emerging American presence in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, and the war in Afghanistan.
Leaving the White House in January 1985, Kemp worked for a year at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies is a bipartisan Washington, D.C., foreign policy think tank. The center was founded in 1962 by Admiral Arleigh Burke and Ambassador David Manker Abshire, originally as part of Georgetown University...
, Georgetown University and then embarked on a nine year tenure at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a foreign-policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. The organization describes itself as being dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States...
. At Carnegie he ran the Middle East Arms Control Program and published and co-authored several notable books on Middle East Security and growing problems between the United States and Iran.
In 1995, Kemp assumed his current position at the Nixon Center, where he has continued to publish a number of studies on the contemporary Middle East. He also completed a major textbook with Robert Harkavy entitled Strategic Geography and the Changing Middle East.
Kemp frequently appears in the media commenting on foreign affairs, particularly on issues concerning the Middle East and US Security. The current focus of his work is the growing importance of China and India in the Middle East. In 2006, he wrote an essay summarizing his basic thesis, “The East Moves West” in the journal The National Interest
The National Interest
The National Interest is a prominent conservative American bi-monthly international affairs magazine published by the Center for the National Interest. It was founded in 1985 by Irving Kristol and until 2001 was edited by Anglo-Australian Owen Harries...
.
Works
- The Control of the Middle East Arms Race, Brookings Institution Press (October 1991), ISBN 9780870030468
- Forever Enemies?: American Policy & the Islamic Republic of Iran, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (December 1993) ISBN 9780870030369
- Point of No Return: The Deadly Struggle for Middle East Peace by Geoffrey Kemp and Jeremy Pressman, 1996, ISBN 9780870030215