Eric Edelman

Practitioner Senior Fellow

Fast Facts

Career minister in the U.S. Foreign Service
Undersecretary of defense for policy in the George W. Bush Administration
Ambassador to Finland and Turkey
Recipient of Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service
Expertise on defense policy, nuclear policy and proliferation, diplomacy

Areas Of Expertise

Foreign Affairs
American Defense and Security
War and Terrorism

Eric Edelman, practitioner senior fellow, retired as a career minister from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2009, after having served in senior positions at the Departments of State and Defense as well as the White House. As the undersecretary of defense for policy (2005-2009), he oversaw strategy development as the Defense Department’s senior policy official with global responsibility for bilateral defense relations, war plans, special operations forces, homeland defense, missile defense, nuclear weapons and arms control policies, counter-proliferation, counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, arms sales, and defense trade controls. Edelman served as U.S. ambassador to the Republics of Finland and Turkey in the Clinton and George W. Bush Administrations and was principal deputy assistant to Vice President Dick Cheney for national security affairs. Edelman has been awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, and several Department of State Superior Honor Awards. In January of 2011 he was awarded the Legion d’Honneur by the French government. In 2016, he served as the James R. Schlesinger Distinguished Professor at the Miller Center.

Eric Edelman News Feed

Iran's Leaders Know Trump Is Desperate

Eliot and Kenneth Pollack, VP for Policy at the Middle East Institute, discuss the difficulty of ending a conflict when both sides believe they are winning, and whether the Iran war is on the cusp of significant concessions or escalation. They explore whether the war was a good idea badly executed or a bad idea badly executed. The pair also speculate about what a successfully prosecuted war effort would have looked like before turning to the likely trajectory of the Iranian regime in the future. Ken explains the broader implications of the war for the Gulf States, Israel, China, Russia, and Turkey before closing with a conversation about why the United States cares about the region and why it presents such an enduring challenge.

Eric Edelman Shield of the Republic

The Ukraine War Is a Disaster for Russia. So Why Is Putin Still Fighting?

Eric and Eliot offer differing assessments of Iran war negotiations and discuss the prospects for a lasting ceasefire. Next, they return to the Russia-Ukraine war and reflect on the staggering Russian casualty levels and severe economic toll the war continues to inflict on Russia. They also discuss the under-reported and dangerous nuclear developments on the Korean peninsula

Eric Edelman Shield of the Republic

The War Trump Can’t End

Eliot and Eric discuss the ongoing negotiations with Iran, as well as Russia's recent drone and missile barrage directed at Kyiv. Eric also provides commentary on the Kenyan government's rejection of US efforts to open a quarantine facility for Americans who have contracted Ebola, John Cornyn's primary loss, and the prospects for the administration's Cuba policy.

Eric Edelman Shield of the Republic

Trump’s Nuclear Review

"As senior participants in previous studies such as this—across both Republican and Democratic administrations—we would humbly offer some basic guideposts which we would urge the Pentagon to take into account as it proceeds with this review."

Eric Edelman Real Clear Defense