General Petraeus Photo: RUSI
Former director of Central Intelligence Agency and US military leader conferred honorary role at world's oldest defence and security think tank.
The Council of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) has named General (rtd) David H Petraeus as Senior Vice President of RUSI.
Vigilance learnt this honorary role was created by RUSI's trustees and advisory council in recognition of General Petraeus' long association with the Institute and his distinguished contribution to the study and development of defence and international security concepts, as well as his implementation of those concepts in operations in the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
It was gathered that earlier this year, General Petraeus was conferred RUSI's Chesney Gold Medal for his lifetime service to the field of security studies and operations.
Professor Michael Clarke, RUSI Director Genera saidl: 'It is wonderful to have David Petraeus with us as our first and only Senior Vice President. His experience in security and defence, both in thinking about it and in operations, is unparalleled. His advice to us and the guidance he has already offered to our research programmes has been extraordinarily helpful. To have him perform this role for the Institute is a unique bonus to our research on current issues of global concern and a great vote of confidence in RUSI's international stature and its bright future.'
Whilst General Petraeus enthused: “I have enjoyed a wonderful, intellectually stimulating relationship with RUSI for over twenty-five years, and I am thus very grateful to the Institute for this new opportunity to further that relationship as RUSI continues its important contributions to a host of on-going debates about defence and security issues.”
General Petraeus has dedicated his life to public service. He served for thirty seven years in the US military, including as commander of coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as commander of the US Central Command. Following retirement from the military in August 2011, he served as the Director of the CIA until November 2012.
Also, it would recalled that recently, RUSI named another security giant Sir Jonathan Evans KCB, former MI5 Chief as its Senior Associate Fellow.
Sir Jonathan Evans KCB Photo: RUSI.
Sir Jonathan Evans had a long and distinguished career in the Security Service and was Director General of MI5 from 2007 to 2013.
Professor Michael Clarke, Director General said: 'It is excellent news that Sir Jonathan Evans is joining the RUSI team. His experience in domestic security issues is unparalleled and it will be a great advantage to the Institute to be able to draw on his knowledge and advice in the work we do on terrorism and related security issues. One of the things that most marks out RUSI's role as a policy think tank is the quality and experience of its Senior Associate Research Fellows, and in Sir Jonathan Evans we could not have done better.'
Sir Jonathan Evans said: “Having served as a member of RUSI's Advisory Board for several years I know that the Institute brings insightful research and comment to bear on the national security challenges that the UK faces. I look forward to contributing to the important work of the Institute as a Senior Associate Fellow.”
The President of the Royal United Services Institute is H R H the Duke of Kent. The RUSI Council is comprised of distinguished leaders from the worlds of defence, security, business and diplomacy. It is chaired by Lord Hutton of Furness.