John Negroponte
Full Name and Common Aliases
John Dimitri Negroponte was born on May 23, 1939, in London, England.
Birth and Death Dates
May 23, 1939 (born) -
Nationality and Profession(s)
Nationality: American
Professions: Diplomat, Politician, Ambassador
Early Life and Background
John Negroponte was born to Dimitri Negroponte, a Greek shipping magnate, and Catherine Conant. He grew up in Washington, D.C., where his family maintained a strong presence in the city's social scene. Negroponte attended St. Albans School before enrolling at Yale University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1961.
Major Accomplishments
Negroponte's diplomatic career spanned over four decades, with various notable roles:
Ambassador to Honduras (1989-1993)
Ambassador to Mexico (1997-2000)
Director of National Intelligence (2005-2007)
As a policymaker and administrator, Negroponte was at the forefront of several significant events and decisions.
Notable Works or Actions
Some of his notable contributions include:
Honduras: As ambassador to Honduras from 1989 to 1993, Negroponte played a crucial role in negotiating the removal of President Roberto Suazo Córdova's military regime. This marked an important step towards democratization and economic reform in the country.
Iraq War: During his tenure as Director of National Intelligence (2005-2007), Negroponte was heavily involved in the planning and execution of the Iraq War. He served on the US-Iraq Planning Group, providing strategic guidance to policymakers.Impact and Legacy
John Negroponte's legacy is complex and multifaceted:
Foreign Policy: As a seasoned diplomat, he contributed significantly to shaping U.S. foreign policy during his tenure in various capacities.
Intelligence Community: His time as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) left an indelible mark on the intelligence community, with reforms aimed at strengthening its capabilities and oversight.
Criticism and Controversy: However, Negroponte has also faced criticism for his involvement in several sensitive issues. Critics have accused him of playing a role in the Reagan administration's support for the Contras during the Nicaraguan civil war.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
John Negroponte is widely quoted and remembered due to his extensive experience as a diplomat, policymaker, and administrator. His involvement in pivotal events has made him a subject of both admiration and criticism. Despite controversy surrounding some of his actions, he remains an influential figure within the foreign policy community.
His tenure at key posts such as Ambassador to Honduras, Mexico, and Director of National Intelligence underscores his lasting impact on U.S. international relations.
Quotes by John Negroponte
a good framework for the international community to support the people of Iraq in the creation of a stable and secure society.
Considering a work program at this time is quite simply out of touch with the reality we confront.
It should be obvious that this pattern of systematic holes and gaps in Iraq's declaration is not the result of accidents, editing oversights or technical mistakes. These are material omissions that - in our view - constitute another material breach. It is up to Iraq to prove that there is some other explanation besides the obvious one, that this declaration is just one more act of deception in a history of lies from a defiant dictator.
To the contrary, I think we bent over backwards to press for elections and for democratic reform.
We negotiated with the Honduran government the establishment of a regional military training center, for training central American forces, but the primary motivation for doing that was to be able to bolster the quality, improve the quality of the El Salvadoran fighting forces.
Very hard, very hard to represent a country, or carry out a policy that does not have consensus support.
There was the situation in Nicaragua where the Sandinistas had taken over a couple of years earlier. There was a civil war going on in El Salvador and there was a similar situation in Guatemala. So Honduras was in a rather precarious geographic position indeed.
I certainly believe America is safer since 9/11. And I believe from an intelligence point of view that our intelligence effort is better integrated today than it was previously.
Beijing's biggest challenge is to sustain growth, sufficient to keep unemployment and rural discontent from rising to destabilizing levels, and to maintain increases in living standards.
If I were to choose one single watchword of this strategy, it's 'integration,' and I think that the whole thrust of this strategy is to drive toward the best possible integration of our intelligence efforts across the board.