Richard N.  Perle, a long time opinion leader in American foreign policy and an advocate for the 2003 U.S.  led removal of Saddam Hussein, was the guest of the HBS Century Club in Cambridge, MA on April 10, 2007.
The event was sponsored by the Pre-Eminence Strategy Group.

Perle answered Century Club student members’ questions in the “up close and personal” format for which the Club has been known for nearly 75 years.  Perle, who served as Assistant Secretary of State under President Reagan and Chairman of the Defense Policy Board (advising Donald Rumsfeld) said, “the best job I ever had” was his first in government - serving as a staffer for the late Senator Henry M.  “Scoop” Jackson during the 1970’s.

“Here I was 28 years old and writing legislation,” Perle told the students.  “I hadn’t realized that was possible. Now I keep in mind that 28-year olds are writing legislation today… But (senate) staffs are about three times bigger today, and I don’t think that staffers today have the remarkable access to interact with the members that we had,” Perle said.

Perle helped draft the landmark 1974 legislation known as the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which denied "Most Favored Nation" status (now called “Normal Trade Relations” status) to certain countries that restricted emigration rights.  Natan Sharansky, whom Perle now counts as a personal friend, but who was then an imprisoned dissident in the Soviet Union, cites Jackson-Vanik as a critical boost to the underground Soviet pro-democracy movement at that time.

Unambiguous support for indigenous dissident movements in anti-democratic and/or strategically threatening regimes is a preferred element of Perle’s recommended U.S.  foreign policy. Perle views it imperative that the US robustly exert a leadership role in confronting emerging threats; and he points to history in defending the rectitude of military means (including unilateral American military action) when other means fail, to avert the fruition of the threat.

Perle argues that deposing Saddam Hussein was amply justified, but the principal strategic error occurred in the immediate aftermath of the 2003 invasion.  “The mistake was not turning Iraq over to the Iraqis right away,” Perle said.  When asked to whom he was referring by “the Iraqis”, Perle said power should have handed to the Iraqi National Congress (INC), which Perle believes had the organization, competence and cross-sectarian support to stabilize and to rebuild the country, had they been given the opportunity promptly after the destruction of Saddam’s regime.

A long time critic of the bureaucracy within the U.S.  State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency, Perle asserts that both groups unjustly assailed INC leader Ahmed Chalabi, with unfortunate results for those wishing to stabilize and reconstruct the country.  Perle asserts that Chalabi had long distinguished himself as a successful business innovator and enjoyed credibility across Iraq’s sectarian society.  Although he is not now in government, Chalabi’s recent achievements repairing violence-damaged mosques for both Sunni and Shia are further evidence of his capabilities, which America’s foreign-policy establishment chose not to harness, Perle said.

Frequently illustrating his points with anecdotes involving world leaders and American cabinet officers, over the past 30 years, Perle often has been at the scene as history turned.  Perle shared fascinating perspectives into the attitudes and concerns of foreign officials and opposition leaders he has known, including some particular poignant insights he gained in private meetings with Chinese officials following the death of Mao Zedong, whose 1976 funeral Perle attended as Perle was already in Beijing at the time.Jielun Zhu (MBA '07,) the HBS Century Club Student President, presented a certificate of appreciation to Mr.  Perle.  Jet Hollander (MBA '83,) the HBS Century Club alumni president, and president of event-sponsor Pre-Eminence Strategy Group said, "Richard Perle is a serious and influential policy advisor whose thoughts and many personal relationships worldwide are built on decades of rigorous study and open dialogue.  Undeterred by controversy, Richard is a principled, frank and cordial presenter of his views.  From what the students have uniformly told me, they join me in thanking Mr.  Perle for precisely that type of open exchange with them."