Wilson Center Experts
Robert S. Litwak
Vice President for Scholars and Academic Relations and Director, International Security Studies
International Security Studies
Contact Information:
T 202/691-4179
// F 202/691-4001
Expertise:
Security and Defense
; Intelligence
; International Security
; Nuclear Proliferation/Non-proliferation
; Nuclear Weapons
; Terrorism
; U.S. National Security
; U.S. Foreign Policy
Robert Litwak is Vice President for Scholars and Director of International Security Studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and a Consultant to the Los Alamos National Laboratory.Dr. Litwak served on the National Security Council staff as Director for Nonproliferation in the first Clinton administration.His most recent books are Rogue States and U.S. Foreign Policy: Containment after the Cold War and Regime Change: U.S. Strategy through the Prism of 9/11.Dr. Litwak has held visiting fellowships at Harvard University's Center for International Affairs, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Russian Academy of Sciences, Oxford University, and the United States Institute of Peace. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and received a doctorate in international relations from the London School of Economics.
Education
Ph.D., International Relations, London School of Economics; B.A., Haverford College
Honors
Fellow, Center for International Affairs and Russian Research Center, Harvard University; executive fellow, United States Institute of Peace; member, Council on Foreign Relations
Experience
Former director for Nonproliferation, National Security Council, White House; adjunct professor, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University; consultant, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Major Publications
- Outlier States: American Strategies to Change, Contain or Engage Regime(The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012)
- Regime Change: U.S. Strategy through the Prism of 9/11 (Woodrow Wilson Center Press and The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007)
- Rogue States and U.S. Foreign Policy: Containment after the Cold War (Woodrow Wilson Center Press and The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000)
- Nuclear Proliferation after the Cold War, co-editor (Woodrow Wilson Center Press and The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994)
- Détente and the Nixon Doctrine: American Foreign Policy and the Pursuit of Stability, 1969-1976 (Cambridge University Press, 1984)
Related Content for this Expert
Security Roundtable: Dealing with Outliers
May 15, 2013 to May 21, 2013
We convene our security roundtable to discuss the best ways to deal with the “outlier states” of North Korea and Iran with Haleh Esfandiari, Robert Hathaway, and Robert Litwak. more
Wilson Forum - The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
Apr 28, 2013 to May 04, 2013
Mark Mazzetti, Former Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar and National Security Correspondent for The New York Times, discusses his new book, The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth. more
The Quarterly Report: Is Democracy Worth It?
Apr 17, 2013Click here to explore the latest issue of the Wilson Center’s flagship publication, the Wilson Quarterly with the help of its editor, Steve Lagerfeld and contributors Joshua Kucera and Steve McDonald. Also Robert Litwak discusses nuclear proliferation threats to United States and global security. more
A Proposal for the Resolution of the Iranian Nuclear Standoff
January 24, 2013 // 1:00pm — 2:30pm
Seven prominent Iranians, all former parliamentarians, have presented the leaders of Iran, the United States, and Europe with a framework for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue. Two of the parliamentarians and three American experts will discuss and debate the proposal. more
Iran: Is a Nuclear Deal Possible?
December 17, 2012 // 12:00pm — 1:15pm
Negotiations between Iran and the 5+1 group over Iran's nuclear program may resume in the next few weeks; and the Obama administration has reaffirmed its readiness for direct negotiations with Iran over a range of issues. From Tehran, however, the response has been mixed, with senior officials both rejecting and signaling a willingness to engage in direct talks with the United States. Is a nuclear deal with Iran possible, or are the two sides moving toward a confrontation? Three top experts in the field debate the issue. more
Dealing with the Iranian Nuclear Challenge
Nov 30, 2012Although Iran’s mastery of the nuclear fuel cycle presents an inherent option for creating a bomb, the Tehran regime has no urgent incentive to build nuclear weapons. Current U.S. policy, which emphasizes coercive sanctions and diplomatic isolation to compel Iran to comply with its obligations under the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), would fall squarely under the rubric of containment, even as the term has been eschewed and delegitimized in the U.S. policy debate. As long as Iran does not overtly cross the U.S. “red line” of weaponization, U.S. policy will likely remain containment in form, if not in name. more
The Ayatollah's Nuclear Gamble: the Human Cost of Military Strikes against Iran's Nuclear Facilities
October 12, 2012 // 1:00pm — 3:00pm
Khosrow Semnani will present the findings of his new report, “The Ayatollah’s Nuclear Gamble,” which offers a detailed, scientific discussion of the human and environmental consequences of a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. The report and the discussion will highlight a largely overlooked issue in the intensifying public debate in the United States over the wisdom of using military force to try to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. more
Will the Ongoing Nuclear Talks with Iran Yield Better Results than Past Efforts?
September 07, 2012 // 10:00am — 12:00pm
Experts who participated in a February 2011 seminar on the Brazilian-Turkish mediation with Iran return to the Wilson Center to assess the ongoing negotiations and possible outcomes. more
Outlier States: American Strategies to Change, Contain, or Engage Regimes
Oct 03, 2012 to Oct 10, 2012
Robert Litwak, Vice President for Scholars and Academic Relations and Director of the International Security Studies Program. more
Living with Nuclear Outliers
Jun 25, 2012Robert Litwak argues that a containment strategy of preventing nuclear outlier states like Iran and North Korea from obtaining nuclear weapons is the best in a series of bad options for living with these states. The piece originally appeared in the International Herald Tribune. more
Pages
The Quarterly Report: Is Democracy Worth It?
Apr 17, 2013Click here to explore the latest issue of the Wilson Center’s flagship publication, the Wilson Quarterly with the help of its editor, Steve Lagerfeld and contributors Joshua Kucera and Steve McDonald. Also Robert Litwak discusses nuclear proliferation threats to United States and global security.
Living with Nuclear Outliers
Jun 25, 2012Robert Litwak argues that a containment strategy of preventing nuclear outlier states like Iran and North Korea from obtaining nuclear weapons is the best in a series of bad options for living with these states. The piece originally appeared in the International Herald Tribune.
A Proposal for the Resolution of the Iranian Nuclear Standoff
January 24, 2013 // 1:00pm — 2:30pm
Seven prominent Iranians, all former parliamentarians, have presented the leaders of Iran, the United States, and Europe with a framework for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue. Two of the parliamentarians and three American experts will discuss and debate the proposal.
Iran: Is a Nuclear Deal Possible?
December 17, 2012 // 12:00pm — 1:15pm
Negotiations between Iran and the 5+1 group over Iran's nuclear program may resume in the next few weeks; and the Obama administration has reaffirmed its readiness for direct negotiations with Iran over a range of issues. From Tehran, however, the response has been mixed, with senior officials both rejecting and signaling a willingness to engage in direct talks with the United States. Is a nuclear deal with Iran possible, or are the two sides moving toward a confrontation? Three top experts in the field debate the issue.
The Ayatollah's Nuclear Gamble: the Human Cost of Military Strikes against Iran's Nuclear Facilities
October 12, 2012 // 1:00pm — 3:00pm
Khosrow Semnani will present the findings of his new report, “The Ayatollah’s Nuclear Gamble,” which offers a detailed, scientific discussion of the human and environmental consequences of a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. The report and the discussion will highlight a largely overlooked issue in the intensifying public debate in the United States over the wisdom of using military force to try to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Will the Ongoing Nuclear Talks with Iran Yield Better Results than Past Efforts?
September 07, 2012 // 10:00am — 12:00pm
Experts who participated in a February 2011 seminar on the Brazilian-Turkish mediation with Iran return to the Wilson Center to assess the ongoing negotiations and possible outcomes.
Should the United States Change, Contain, or Engage Nuclear "Outliers" Iran and North Korea?
June 20, 2012 // 12:00pm — 1:15pm
In this National Conversation, Robert Litwak and Thomas Friedman discuss whether countries such as Iran and North Korea, now branded nuclear "outliers" by the Obama Administration, can be integrated into the international community.
United Nations Human Rights Council: Assessing the U.S. Policy of Engagement
October 19, 2011 // 3:00pm — 5:00pm
Panelists will offer a range of perspectives on the accomplishments and challenges of the Human Rights Council over the past two years, reflecting on whether or not engagement at the Council has sufficiently advanced U.S. interests and values.
"Rogue States" and the United States: A Historical Perspective
September 19, 2011 // 4:00pm — 5:30pm
Vice President for Programs and Director of International Security Studies at the Woodrow Wilson Center Robert Litwak answers some of the biggest questions surrounding the relationship between today's "Rogue States" (North Korea, Libya, Iran) and the United States.
In Uncertain Times: American Foreign Policy after the Berlin Wall and 9/11
October 13, 2011 // 4:00pm — 5:30pm
Melvyn P. Leffler, former Wilson Center public policy scholar will discuss his latest book which considers how policymakers react to dramatic developments on the world stage.
A Reflection on the May 2010 Brazil-Turkey Nuclear Initiative Toward Iran
February 22, 2011 // 8:00am — 12:00pm
Monica Herz, Director, International Relations Institute, Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro; Craig Kelly, Vice President, The Cohen Group; Mustafa Kibaroglu, Associate Professor of International Affairs, Bilkent University, Ankara; Nizar Messari, Associate Professor of International Relations, Al Akhawayn University, Ifrane, Morocco; Trita Parsi, President, National Iranian-American Council and former Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar
Progress in the War in Afghanistan: Seven Centers of Gravity
March 04, 2011 // 11:00am — 12:15pm
With Secretary Gates and General Petraeus emphasizing economic and civic development as well as the use of effective force, Cordesman examined the difficulty of pursuing economic growth in midst of ongoing conflict.
Pages
Dealing with the Iranian Nuclear Challenge
Nov 30, 2012Although Iran’s mastery of the nuclear fuel cycle presents an inherent option for creating a bomb, the Tehran regime has no urgent incentive to build nuclear weapons. Current U.S. policy, which emphasizes coercive sanctions and diplomatic isolation to compel Iran to comply with its obligations under the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), would fall squarely under the rubric of containment, even as the term has been eschewed and delegitimized in the U.S. policy debate. As long as Iran does not overtly cross the U.S. “red line” of weaponization, U.S. policy will likely remain containment in form, if not in name.
Outlier States: American Strategies to Change, Contain, or Engage Regimes
May 24, 2012In the Bush era Iran and North Korea were branded "rogue" states for their flouting of international norms, and changing their regimes was the administration's goal. The Obama administration has chosen instead to call the countries nuclear "outliers" and has proposed means other than regime change to bring them back into "the community of nations." Outlier States, the successor to Litwak's influential Regime Change: U.S. Strategy through the Prism of 9/11 (2007), explores this significant policy adjustment and raises questions about its feasibility and its possible consequences.
Regime Change: U.S. Strategy through the Prism of 9/11
May 01, 2007Regime Change examines the contrasting precedents set with Iraq and Libya and provides incisive analysis of the pressing crises with North Korea and Iran. A successor to the author's influential Rogue States and U.S. Foreign Policy (2000), this compelling book clarifies and critiques the terms in which today's vital foreign policy and security debate is being conducted.
Rogue States and U.S. Foreign Policy: Containment after the Cold War
May 01, 2000President Clinton and other U.S. officials have warned that "rogue states" pose a major threat to international peace in the post-Cold War era. But what exactly is a rogue state? Does the concept foster a sound approach to foreign policy, or is it, in the end, no more than a counterproductive political epithet? Robert Litwak traces the origins and development of rogue state policy and then assesses its efficacy through detailed case studies of Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. He shows that the policy is politically selective, inhibits the ability of U.S. policymakers to adapt to changed conditions, and has been rejected by the United States' major allies. Litwak concludes that by lumping and demonizing a disparate group of countries, the rogue state approach obscures understanding and distorts policymaking. In place of a generic and constricting strategy, he argues for the development of "differentiated" strategies of containment, tailored to the particular circumstances within individual states.
Security Roundtable: Dealing with Outliers
May 15, 2013 to May 21, 2013
We convene our security roundtable to discuss the best ways to deal with the “outlier states” of North Korea and Iran with Haleh Esfandiari, Robert Hathaway, and Robert Litwak.
Wilson Forum - The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
Apr 28, 2013 to May 04, 2013
Mark Mazzetti, Former Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar and National Security Correspondent for The New York Times, discusses his new book, The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth.
Outlier States: American Strategies to Change, Contain, or Engage Regimes
Oct 03, 2012 to Oct 10, 2012
Robert Litwak, Vice President for Scholars and Academic Relations and Director of the International Security Studies Program.
Leaving Without Losing: The War on Terror After Iraq and Afghanistan
May 01, 2012 to May 07, 2012
Mark Katz is a professor of government and politics at George Mason University; Robert Litwak is Vice President for Scholars and Academic Relations at the Wilson Center where he also serves as Director of International Security Studies.
The Future of U.S. Forces in Europe
Jan 22, 2012 to Jan 29, 2012
With guests Mark Hertling, Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe and Robert Litwak, Vice President for Programs at the Wilson Center
Japan's Nuclear Nightmare
Apr 04, 2011 to Apr 10, 2011
Robert Hathaway is director of the Wilson Center's Asia program. Bob served for 12 years on the staff for the foreign affairs committee of the US House of Representatives. Robert Litwak is the Center's vice president for programs and director of International Security Studies. A former director of non-proliferation for the National Security Council, Rob is also a consultant to the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Nobuo Fukuda is the Japan scholar at the Wilson Center. Nobuo is a journalist with more than 25 years of experience with the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun.
Nuclear Iran
Nov 15, 2010 to Nov 21, 2010
Michael Adler is a Woodrow Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar. As a journalist in Vienna he reported on the International Atomic Energy Agency and he is now working on a book about diplomacy in the Iranian nuclear crisis. Robert Litwak is the Wilson Center's Vice President for Programs and also serves as Director of International Security Studies. Previously, he served as director for non-proliferation for the National Security Council.
Nuclear Iran
Oct 25, 2010 to Oct 31, 2010
Michael Adler is a Woodrow Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar. As a journalist in Vienna he reported on the International Atomic Energy Agency and he is now working on a book about diplomacy in the Iranian nuclear crisis. Robert Litwak is the Wilson Center's Vice President for Programs and also serves as Director of International Security Studies. Previously, he served as director for non-proliferation for the National Security Council.
A Retrospective: Remembering George Liston Seay
Sep 27, 2010 to Oct 03, 2010
Haleh Esfandiari, Steve Lagerfeld, Cindy Arnson, Robert Litwak.
A Retrospective: Remembering George Liston Seay
Jul 26, 2010 to Aug 01, 2010
Haleh Esfandiari, Steve Lagerfeld, Cindy Arnson, Robert Litwak.