The University of Texas at Austin

Ambassador Dennis Ross

Statecraft, and How to Restore America's Standing in the World

Thursday, October 11, 2007
3:30 p.m.
LBJ School Student Lounge
Sid Richardson Hall, Unit 3
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
The University of Texas at Austin
2315 Red River Street
Austin, Texas

On Thursday, October 11, 2007, the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs will host Ambassador Dennis Ross, former special Middle East coordinator under President Clinton. The discussion will be held in the LBJ School Student Lounge at 3:30 pm. Ambassador Ross will discuss his new book, Statecraft, and How to Restore America's Standing in the World, in which he argues for a return to the use of statecraft in order to advance United States interest in the world. After the discussion Ambassador Ross will sign copies of his book.

Ambassador Dennis Ross is The Washington Institute's counselor and Ziegler distinguished fellow. For more than twelve years, Ambassador Ross played a leading role in shaping U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process and dealing directly with the parties in negotiations. Ambassador Ross was the U.S. point man on the peace process in both the George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations. He was instrumental in assisting Israelis and Palestinians to reach the 1995 Interim Agreement; he also successfully brokered the 1997 Hebron Accord, facilitated the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty, and intensively worked to bring Israel and Syria together.

Prior to his service as special Middle East coordinator under President Clinton, Ambassador Ross served as director of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff in the first Bush administration. In that capacity, he played a prominent role in U.S. policy toward the former Soviet Union, the unification of Germany and its integration into NATO, arms control negotiations, and the 1991 Gulf War coalition.

During the Reagan administration, he served as director of Near East and South Asian affairs on the National Security Council staff and deputy director of the Pentagon's Office of Net Assessment. Ambassador Ross was awarded the Presidential Medal for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service by President Clinton, and Secretaries Baker and Albright presented him with the State Department's highest award.

Ambassador Ross graduated from UCLA in 1970. He has also received honorary doctorates from Amherst, Jewish Theological Seminary, and Syracuse University.

Copies of the Ambassador’s book will be available at the event. The book signing portion of the event is sponsored by the LBJ School’s Graduate Public Affairs Council (GPAC).

For more information about this event, contact Brendan Lavy at 512-232-4004 or blavy@austin.utexas.edu.