Guest
Ambassador Chas W. Freeman, Jr. is a senior fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense, ambassador to Saudi Arabia (during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm), acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Chargé d'affaires at both Bangkok and Beijing. He began his diplomatic career in India but specialized in Chinese affairs. (He was the principal American interpreter during President Nixon's visit to Beijing in 1972.) Ambassador Freeman is a much sought-after public speaker (see ) and the author of several well-received books on statecraft and diplomacy. His most recent book, “America's Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East“ was published in May 2016. “Interesting Times: China, America, and the Shifting Balance of Prestige,“ appeared in March 2013. “America’s Misadventures in the Middle East“ came out in 2010,
