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My books are divided into three categories:
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Biographical Statement
While I've always wanted to focus on art, writing, theater and filmmaking, I knew that earning a dependable income would be difficult following that career path. Luckily, I was also deeply interested in philosophy, politics, and history, the study of which I thought might land me a job teaching. But the teaching ambition was abandoned after a disastrous job interview soon after I earned my PhD in political science and Asian studies. Actually, I aced the initial interviews for the job and was told by the search committee that I would be offered the job as a professor at a large midwestern university. But I had to pass one final interview with the chairman of the department. That also seemed to go well until the end, when he told me that I was the unanimous choice by his colleagues for the job and that he would sign the letter of offer in the morning. if....if I would invite him to my hotel room for overnight discussion. No way.
So I began to look at other ways to use my newly minted degree. The prospect of becoming an intelligence analyst seemed promising. I saw a posting for a position at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the Wall Street Journal. The job was to analyze the motives and capabilities for nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons by proliferant nations. It intrigued me, so I applied. They winnowed the 150+ applicants to twelve, of which I was one. After a rigorous interview process (with no improper intimations whatsoever!), I got the job. This started me on a career path that spanned almost 30 years. Briefly, here's what I've done, present to past:
Along the way, I've done a few other things, including being a citrus farmer for 10 years, lecturing at several universities (including the NATO War College in Rome and George Mason University), authoring 11 books and many articles, writing and producing two movies, and making an unsuccessful run for U.S. Congress (2022).
So I began to look at other ways to use my newly minted degree. The prospect of becoming an intelligence analyst seemed promising. I saw a posting for a position at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the Wall Street Journal. The job was to analyze the motives and capabilities for nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons by proliferant nations. It intrigued me, so I applied. They winnowed the 150+ applicants to twelve, of which I was one. After a rigorous interview process (with no improper intimations whatsoever!), I got the job. This started me on a career path that spanned almost 30 years. Briefly, here's what I've done, present to past:
- Senior Associate at the National Institute for Public Policy;
- Assistant Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (1988-90), a Presidential appointment, responsible for nuclear, chemical, biological, and missile proliferation;
- Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Intelligence & Research (1985-87), where I chaired the Interagency Active Measures Working Group;
- Head of the Bureau for Research in the U.S. Information Agency (1983-85), where I directed foreign opinion polling and analysis;
- Co-founder and director of the nuclear-nonproliferation intelligence program in Z Division at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and later assistant to the Director of the LLNL for Nonproliferation.
Along the way, I've done a few other things, including being a citrus farmer for 10 years, lecturing at several universities (including the NATO War College in Rome and George Mason University), authoring 11 books and many articles, writing and producing two movies, and making an unsuccessful run for U.S. Congress (2022).