John Noonan (analyst)
Encyclopedia
John Noonan is a conservative national security commentator and analyst. He is a principle defense writer for The Weekly Standard
, and currently works as a policy adviser at the Foreign Policy Initiative
. Noonan is a graduate of the distinguished military history program at the Virginia Military Institute
, where he also received his officer's commission in the United States Air Force.
joined the Center for a New American Security
, to assimilate into Washington's influential defense policy community.
, and Frank Gaffney
. After publishing an article on Russia's growing sphere of influence at The Weekly Standard, he was accused of openly advocating for a renewed state of Cold War between Washington and Moscow. He also assumed a sharply hawkish posture on the 2008 South Ossetia War
, calling the refusal of European nations to admit Georgia into NATO the result of "Chamberlain-esque conflict aversion."
Despite that criticism, Noonan has been reported amongst a group of conservatives who are gaining increasing influence in Washington. His practical experience working with nuclear weapons placed him in a point position for conservative opposition to President Obama's nuclear disarmament initiatives, as has his ability to accurately project the outcome of certain geopolitical events such as the recent wars in Lebanon and Georgia.
The Weekly Standard
The Weekly Standard is an American neoconservative opinion magazine published 48 times per year. Its founding publisher, News Corporation, debuted the title September 18, 1995. Currently edited by founder William Kristol and Fred Barnes, the Standard has been described as a "redoubt of...
, and currently works as a policy adviser at the Foreign Policy Initiative
Foreign Policy Initiative
The Foreign Policy Initiative is a non-profit, non-partisan, tax-exempt organization under Section 501 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. FPI seeks to promote an active U.S...
. Noonan is a graduate of the distinguished military history program at the Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
, where he also received his officer's commission in the United States Air Force.
Career
Before moving to the FPI, the then Captain Noonan served in the United States Air Force's Global Strike Command as a Minuteman III launch officer. While he still on active duty, he started a defense blog for Military.com called OPFOR (a military acronym for opposing force). OPFOR was one of the first military blogs drawn on by Michael Goldfarb of the Weekly Standard to refute the war reporting of Scott Beauchamp in 2007. Later that year, Noonan joined the Standard as a defense stringer and blogger. He is the second military blogger, after the blog's Andrew ExumAndrew Exum
Andrew Exum is a former US Army officer, an American scholar of the Middle East and a Fellow of the Center for a New American Security . He also participated in General Stanley McChrystal's review of the American strategy in Afghanistan.-Life:...
joined the Center for a New American Security
Center for a New American Security
The Center for a New American Security is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank established in 2007 by co-founders Michèle Flournoy and Kurt M. Campbell which specializes in U.S. national security issues...
, to assimilate into Washington's influential defense policy community.
Criticism
Noonan has drawn fire from liberal and progressive groups for his aggressive foreign policy positions, particularly on US nuclear weapon issues. In June 2010, the Institute for Policy Studies lumped the former airman in with the "more hawkish extreme" of the Republican Party, along with Cliff May, Edwin MeeseEdwin Meese
Edwin "Ed" Meese, III is an attorney, law professor, and author who served in official capacities within the Ronald Reagan Gubernatorial Administration , the Reagan Presidential Transition Team , and the Reagan White House , eventually rising to hold the position of the 75th Attorney General of...
, and Frank Gaffney
Frank Gaffney
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. is the founder and president of the American Center for Security Policy, columnist at the Washington Times, blogger at Big Peace and radio host on Secure Freedom Radio....
. After publishing an article on Russia's growing sphere of influence at The Weekly Standard, he was accused of openly advocating for a renewed state of Cold War between Washington and Moscow. He also assumed a sharply hawkish posture on the 2008 South Ossetia War
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
, calling the refusal of European nations to admit Georgia into NATO the result of "Chamberlain-esque conflict aversion."
Despite that criticism, Noonan has been reported amongst a group of conservatives who are gaining increasing influence in Washington. His practical experience working with nuclear weapons placed him in a point position for conservative opposition to President Obama's nuclear disarmament initiatives, as has his ability to accurately project the outcome of certain geopolitical events such as the recent wars in Lebanon and Georgia.
External links
- https://www.weeklystandard.com/daily/daily.asp
- http://www.foreignpolicyi.org/