Phillip H. Gordon

Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs at the State Department (since March 2009)

(Brookings Institution)

Why He Matters

Are we better off internationally now then we were before President George W. Bush was elected? Gordon asked this question in a 2008 American Interest piece. "The world is more dangerous, America's enemies are stronger and more numerous, and our international standing is vastly diminished," he wrote in Sept. 2008, by way of reply.

He may have an opportunity to tackle these challenges as a member of the Obama administration's State Department. Gordon was tapped to lead the State Department's European and Eurasian Affairs bureau as assistant secretary. The expert on NATO, Turkey and Europe has studied the region since 2000 as a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Prior to holding that position, Gordon directed the National Security Council's European affairs office under President Bill Clinton. The author of several books, Gordon speaks French, Italian, German and some Spanish.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: Adviser, Barack Obama 's 2008 Presidential campaign (2007 to 2008); Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution (since 2000); Director for European Affairs, National Security Council (1997 to 2000)
Alma Mater: Ohio University, B.A., 1984; Johns Hopkins University; Ph.D., 1991
Office: 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, 202-797-6000

Path to Power

Gordon received his undergraduate degree in 1984 from Ohio University, where he studied French and philosophy. He earned his master's and Ph.D. in European studies and international economics from Johns Hopkins University in 1991.

Gordon took on a series of teaching and research positions at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, Johns Hopkins University; and the German Society for Foreign Affairs in Bonn.

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The Issues

Gordon writes that America and Europe's relationship has suffered during the George W. Bush years because of the U.S. rush to war with Iraq, its refusal to consider certain international agreements and sharply divergent views over why the violence in the Israel exists and how it can be stopped. Still, he believes that America and Europe must work together to address the crises of the 21st century. "Our mission today is to translate the enduring European desire for American leadership and the significant goodwill I think Europeans still have for our country into a genuine partnership that advances the national interests of the United States and helps the people of the region," he said at his 2009 Senate confirmation hearing.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Gordon believes success in Afghanistan is critical to NATO's survival. He would like to enlarge NATO and push for Europeans to modernize their own armed services.. "There are security crises all around the world that require faster and more flexible military forces that most of the Europeans still don't have," Gordon said in his 2009 testimony. "And if NATO is really going to be a tool for dealing with the security challenges of the 21st Century, I think that military transformation modernization is going to be critical."

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Turkey and Cyprus

Gordon would like to see the United States revive a strategic partnership with Turkey, which borders Iraq and where only 12 percent of Turks have a favorable opinion of the U.S. He also believes Turkey should be admitted to the European Union.

He does not believe that the Turkish troops in Cyprus constitute an occupation and supported the 2002 Annan plan, a United Nations proposal that suggested Cyprus be divided into two states, one Turkish and one Greek, which would be united by a minimal federal government. "I did support the Annan Plan at the time," Gordon said at his 2009 confirmation hearing. "I thought it was better than the status quo. I thought it had enormous problems because it's a terribly complicated situation, but I thought it was better than the status quo because it was a settlement."

Gordon said he supports the current situation in Cyprus, which involves two parties on the island negotiating a deal without U.N. or U.S. involvement.

Armenian Genocide

At his 2009 confirmation hearing, Gordon faced some criticism for a paper he published, where he stated that "moves in the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize a Turkish 'genocide' against Armenians in 1915 have stoked the sense of crisis. Such a provocation could strengthen Turkish hardliners and make a Turkish military incursion into Iraq more likely."

At his Senate confirmation hearing, Sen. Menendez attacked this claim by Gordon and asked him to explain whether he disagreed with calling the Turkish massacre of Armenians a genocide. Gordon said the question of whether an actual genocide occurred should be answered through an analysis for a think tank. "You suggested the need for balance, and I absolutely agree. And I absolutely agree that the United States and Congress and citizens, including in Turkey, need to recognize that a terrible tragedy took place," he said.

On April 7, 2009, Ensign sent Gordon a letter saying he was "troubled by your use of the word 'tragedy' to characterize the genocide in which 1.5 million Armenians were deported, tortured and murdered by the Ottoman Empire from 1915-1923." He called on Gordon to clarify his position on the issue.

Iraq and Iran

Gordon was an opponent of the Iraq war from the outset. In a 2002 op-ed, he advocated for the U.S. to consider trying a much tougher inspections regime (with demands that Saddam Hussein reveal his weapons), and a promise to go to war if the U.S. was thwarted. "Under this approach, we would still be connected to Hussein by a chain made up of U.N. resolutions and international obligations," he wrote. "But we would be the ones yanking the chain, not him. And if we had to go to war, most of the world would then be with us."

Gordon believes that war helped cause the breakdown in the American-European alliance. Though Gordon blames other countries as well (at one point, he castigates former French President Jacques Chirac for suggesting that France would support the U.N. Security Council vote to authorize force in Iraq, knowing that France's veto would doom the measure).

Gordon supports talking to Iran about a range of policy issues "without precondition," saying Europeans are already doing so.

The Network

At Brookings, Gordon worked closely with Ivo Daalder, Obama's pick for U.S. ambassador to NATO. The two will undoubtedly continue to work together on NATO if they are both appointed. He was also at Brookings with Carlos Pascual, Obama's likely pick for U.S. ambassador to Mexico. The pair also worked on European issues on the NSC during the late 1990s.

Gordon led President Barack Obama's Europe team during the 2008 presidential campaign, though he was not a member of the president's inner circle.

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