Martin Indyk
Encyclopedia
Martin Sean Indyk is Vice President and Director for Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. Indyk served as United States ambassador to Israel
and Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs during the Clinton Administration
. He is known as the framer of the U.S. policy of dual containment
which sought to 'contain' Iraq
and Iran
, which were both viewed as the United States' two most important strategic adversaries at the time. He is the author of Innocent Abroad: An Intimate Account of American Peacemaking Diplomacy in the Middle East.
in 1972 and received a PhD in international relations from the Australian National University
in 1977. The academic and publisher Ivor Indyk
is his brother. He emigrated to the United States and later gained American citizenship in 1993. He was formerly married to Jill Collier Indyk with whom he had two children, Sarah and Jacob.
(AIPAC), a pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington.
From 1985 Indyk served eight years as the founding Executive Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
, a research institute specializing in analysis of Middle East policy. He has been an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies where he taught Israeli politics and foreign policy.
He has taught at the Middle East Institute at Columbia University
, the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies
at Tel Aviv University
, and the Department of Politics at Macquarie University
in Sydney, Australia. Indyk has published widely on U.S. policy toward the Arab–Israeli peace process, on U.S.–Israeli relations, and on the threats to Middle East stability posed by Iraq
and Iran
.
He served as special assistant to President Bill Clinton
and as senior director of Near East and South Asian Affairs at the United States National Security Council
. While at the NSC, he served as principal adviser to the President and the National Security Advisor
on Arab–Israeli issues, Iraq, Iran, and South Asia. He was a senior member of Secretary of State
Warren Christopher
's Middle East peace team and served as the White House representative on the U.S. Israel Science and Technology Commission.
He served two stints as United States Ambassador to Israel
, from April 1995 to September 1997 and from January 2000 to July 2001 and was the first and so far, the only, foreign-born US ambassador to Israel.
, until he was made the first (and second) Jewish American ambassador to Israel.
While promoting his book, Innocent Abroad: An Intimate Account of American Peace Diplomacy, on 8 January 2009, Indyk engaged in a discussion of Israel–Palestine peace negotiations with Norman Finkelstein
of Democracy Now!
. Indyk indicated he felt "sandbagged" by not being informed of Mr. Finkelstein's presence.
In late February 2010 he made highly critical remarks, as member of the New Israel Fund Board, of the campaign against the Fund in Australia which resulted in the postponement of a visit by Naomi Chazan.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs during the Clinton Administration
Presidency of Bill Clinton
The United States Presidency of Bill Clinton, also known as the Clinton Administration, was the executive branch of the federal government of the United States from January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001. Clinton was the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second full term...
. He is known as the framer of the U.S. policy of dual containment
Dual containment
Dual containment was an official United States foreign policy aimed at containing Iraq and Iran, Israel's and America's two most important strategic adversaries in the Middle East...
which sought to 'contain' 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....
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, which were both viewed as the United States' two most important strategic adversaries at the time. He is the author of Innocent Abroad: An Intimate Account of American Peacemaking Diplomacy in the Middle East.
Biography
Martin Indyk was born to a Jewish family in London, England, but grew up and was educated in Australia, growing up in the Sydney suburb of Castlecrag. He graduated from the University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
in 1972 and received a PhD in international relations from the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in 1977. The academic and publisher Ivor Indyk
Ivor Indyk
Ivor Indyk is an Australian literary academic, editor and publisher. He is a professor at the University of Western Sydney, and the founding editor and publisher of award-winning literary imprint Giramondo Publishing and HEAT magazine....
is his brother. He emigrated to the United States and later gained American citizenship in 1993. He was formerly married to Jill Collier Indyk with whom he had two children, Sarah and Jacob.
Political and diplomatic career
In 1982, Indyk began working as a deputy research director for the American Israel Public Affairs CommitteeAmerican 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...
(AIPAC), a pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington.
From 1985 Indyk served eight years as the founding Executive Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Washington Institute for Near East Policy
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy is a think tank based in Washington, D.C. focused on United States foreign policy in the Middle East. It was established by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in 1985...
, a research institute specializing in analysis of Middle East policy. He has been an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies where he taught Israeli politics and foreign policy.
He has taught at the Middle East Institute at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies
Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies
The Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies is an interdisciplinary research center based in Israel and devoted to the study of the modern history and contemporary affairs of Africa and the Middle East....
at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
, and the Department of Politics at Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
in Sydney, Australia. Indyk has published widely on U.S. policy toward the Arab–Israeli peace process, on U.S.–Israeli relations, and on the threats to Middle East stability posed by 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....
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
He served as special assistant to President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and as senior director of Near East and South Asian Affairs at the United States 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...
. While at the NSC, he served as principal adviser to the President and the National Security Advisor
National Security Advisor (United States)
The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
on Arab–Israeli issues, Iraq, Iran, and South Asia. He was a senior member of Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Warren Christopher
Warren Christopher
Warren Minor Christopher was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician. During Bill Clinton's first term as President, Christopher served as the 63rd Secretary of State. He also served as Deputy Attorney General in the Lyndon Johnson administration, and as Deputy Secretary of State in the Jimmy...
's Middle East peace team and served as the White House representative on the U.S. Israel Science and Technology Commission.
He served two stints as United States Ambassador to Israel
United States Ambassador to Israel
The United States Ambassador to Israel is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Israel.Until 1948 the area that is now the state of Israel had been under British administration as part of the League of Nations/United Nations British Mandate for...
, from April 1995 to September 1997 and from January 2000 to July 2001 and was the first and so far, the only, foreign-born US ambassador to Israel.
Security clearance revocation
Indyk was the first United States ambassador to be stripped of a security clearance. Indyk was under investigation for improperly handling sensitive material. Indyk's clearance was restored a month later, in October 2000, by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.Recent media appearances
In his video interview with Leadel.NET, Indyk speaks of the path he followed from a young international relations student and volunteer in a kibbutz during the 1973 Yom Kippur WarYom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, until he was made the first (and second) Jewish American ambassador to Israel.
While promoting his book, Innocent Abroad: An Intimate Account of American Peace Diplomacy, on 8 January 2009, Indyk engaged in a discussion of Israel–Palestine peace negotiations with Norman Finkelstein
Norman Finkelstein
Norman Gary Finkelstein is an American political scientist, activist and author. His primary fields of research are the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the politics of the Holocaust. He is a graduate of Binghamton University and received his Ph.D in Political Science from Princeton University...
of Democracy Now!
Democracy Now!
Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...
. Indyk indicated he felt "sandbagged" by not being informed of Mr. Finkelstein's presence.
In late February 2010 he made highly critical remarks, as member of the New Israel Fund Board, of the campaign against the Fund in Australia which resulted in the postponement of a visit by Naomi Chazan.
Select publications
- Innocent Abroad: An Intimate Account of American Peace Diplomacy in the Middle East. 2009. Simon & Schuster