Council on Foreign Relations

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The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) stated mission is: "The Council on Foreign Relations is dedicated to increasing America’s understanding of the world and contributing ideas to U.S. foreign policy. The Council accomplishes this mainly by promoting constructive debates and discussions, clarifying world issues, and publishing Foreign Affairs."

History

The CFR dates back to 1921, and in 1996 published its history, available on its website.

The membership of the CFR includes past Presidents, Ambassadors, Secretaries of State, Wall Street investors, international bankers, foundation executives, think tank executives, lobbyist lawyers, NATO and Pentagon military leaders, wealthy industrialists, media owners and executives, university presidents and key professors, select Congressmen, Supreme Court Justices, Federal Judges, wealthy entrepreneurs, and as many as ten 9-11 Commission Members. [1] [2]

Due perhaps more to its origins, associations, and history, than to its current composition and activities, the CFR does have a reputation as one of the "triumvirate of elite organizations" together with the Bilderberg, and the Trilateral Commission. Elitism doesn't necessarily preclude the ability to provide unbiased and useful service however.[3]

They hold regular private meetings including members, and very select guests. Occasionally they will hold a public meeting, and invite the open press (including C-SPAN). The image of the CFR as a closed-shop bi-partisan discussion forum for the foreign policy establishment has fuelled criticism that the organisation and its members are controlling world policy and events.

The CFR and its members commonly feature prominently in the writings of anti-establishment conservatives, such as Lyndon LaRouche and Pat Robertson, as central advocates of the 'new world order'.

By way of example, James W. Wardner [4][5], claims he "exposes the evil forces behind the 'New World Order' and reveals the unholy alliances that are bringing about The Planned Destruction of America." [6]

In these writings the CFR is linked to other groups - such as the Trilateral Commission, the Illuminati [7], the Skull and Bones Society, and the Bilderberg - and portrayed as between them seeking to impose the 'new world order'. [8] Also see "Illuminati and Council on foreign Relations" by Myron Fagan [9] [10]

Recent News

  • William Fisher, "Hope For Improving U.S. Communications With The Muslim World?," Scoop (New Zealand), May 26, 2005. A CFR report titled "A New Beginning: Strategies for a More Fruitful Dialogue with the Muslim World" suggests the U.S. try "listening more, a humbler tone, and focusing on bilateral aid and partnership, while tolerating disagreement on controversial policy issues" when trying to relate to Muslim nations. The report, based on focus groups in Morocco, Egypt and Indonesia, found that focus group members "do not take seriously U.S. government media, such as Radio Sawa, al-Hurra TV, and Hi magazine, as information sources." Specific recommendations include engaging "local and regional media via press releases, interviews, Op-Eds, press conferences, and site visits," and launching "an advertising campaign on U.S. aid and support for reform in local and regional media, and acknowledge the U.S. government as the source."
  • Scott Sherman, Kissinger's Shadow Over the Council on Foreign Relations, The Nation, Dec. 27, 2004 (print edition), Dec. 6, 2004 (electronic version). Article describes the attempts by Kissinger to censor articles in a CFR's publication, Foreign Affairs. It reveals some of the internal politics, and the relationship between the operators.
  • 8 January 2004, a Commission of the Center for Preventive Action releases report Andes 2020: A New Strategy for the Challenges of Colombia and the Region.
  • The central finding of which is stated as "Over the past two decades the United States has spent billions of dollars and significant manpower in the Andes region to stem the flow of illegal drugs; assist local security forces in the fight against drugs, terror and insurgency; and promote free markets, human rights, and democracy. Yet the democracies of the Andean region-Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia--are still at risk, and the prospect of regional collapse is real and poses a serious threat to U.S. lives and interests."
  • link to .PDF version of the report
  • The Commission attempts to redress what it considers to be a major weakness of current U.S. policy as embodied in Plan Colombia and the Andean Counter-drug Initiative: an overly narrow focus on counternarcotics and security issues, and the relative absence of complementary, comprehensive, regionally-oriented strategies.
  • The Commission puts forth three objectives to rectify current policy. Determined action on these three strategic objectives will, over time, accomplish sustainable progress toward political, economic, and security goals that a policy focused mainly on supply-side counterdrug efforts cannot achieve.
  • I. The need to more equitably distribute political and economic resources and power in each country, with a commitment to strategic rural land reform.
  • II. The importance of greater participation by the international community on a range of diplomatic, political, economic, social, security, and humanitarian issues.
  • III. The recognition that regional problems require regional approaches and that greater cooperation among the Andean countries is essential.
  • 29 June 2003: "New Council-sponsored Independent Task Force on Emergency Responders, a blue-ribbon panel of Nobel laureates, U.S. military leaders, former high-level government officials, and other senior experts, led by former Senator Warren Bruce Rudman and advised by former White House terrorism and cyber-security chief Richard A. Clarke."
  • "Nearly Two Years After 9/11, the United States is Still Dangerously Unprepared and Underfunded for a Catastrophic Terrorist Attack, Warns New Council Task Force. Overall Expenditures Must Be as Much as Tripled to Prepare Emergency Responders Across the Country."
  • "The study was carried out in partnership with the Concord Coalition and the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment, two of the nation's leading budget analysis organizations."
  • "Jamie Metzl, Council Senior Fellow and a former National Security Council and Senate Foreign Relations Committee official, directed the effort."
  • The Task Force on Emergency Responders is a follow on to the Council's highly acclaimed Hart-Rudman Task Force on Homeland Security , which made concrete recommendations in February 2001 on defending the country against a terrorist attack.
  • TASK FORCE MEMBERS
  • 25 June 2003: "U.S. Should Provide Iraqis and Americans With a More Coherent and Compelling Vision for Iraq's Political Future. Experts Urge President to Deliver Major Address to the Nation on Importance of Getting the Job Done Right in Post-War Iraq... the George Walker Bush administration must sharpen and deepen its commitment to making Iraq a better and safer place, conclude former UN Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering and former Defense and Energy Secretary James R. Schlesinger, co-chairs of the Council-sponsored Independent Task Force on post-war Iraq."
  • 14 April 2003: "Senior Statesmen Henry Kissinger and Lawrence Summers Chair New Council Task Force on U.S. Policy Toward Europe." Former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger and former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence H. Summers will "co-chair a Council-sponsored independent task force on a new U.S. policy toward Europe. The bi-partisan task force will bring together leaders from business, former senior government officials, and policy experts to issue a report that will address the rift. The group will also include a number of European experts ... The Council-sponsored Task Force on Transatlantic Relations is made possible by generous grants from ENI SpA and Merrill Lynch."
  • 31 Mar. 2003: Nicholas Lehman, "How It Came To War" writes in The New Yorker that in an interview with Richard Haass, Director of the Policy Planning staff at the State Department, he learned that Haass would be leaving the State Department to take the position of President of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. The position is currently held by Leslie H. Gelb.

Board of Directors

Officers (as at April 2004)

Current Directors

Directors Emeriti

Other Related SourceWatch Resources

Contact Information

New York office
The Harold Pratt House
58 East 68th Street
New York, NY 10021
Tel. (212) 434-9400
Fax: (212) 434-9800

Washington office
1779 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 518-3400
Fax (202) 986-2984

Web site
http://www.cfr.org/

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