Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, ret.)
CHAIRMAN
202-546-0795 ext. 2111
rgard AT armscontrolcenter DOT org
Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. is Chairman of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation where his policy work focuses on nuclear nonproliferation, missile defense, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, military policy, nuclear terrorism, and other national security issues.
During his military career, Gard saw combat in both the Korea and Vietnam wars, and served a three year tour in Germany. He also served as Executive Assistant to two secretaries of defense; the first Director of Human Resources Development for the U.S. Army; Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs; and President of National Defense University (NDU).
After retiring from the U.S. Army in 1981, after 31 years of distinguished service, Gard served for five years as director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies Center in Bologna, Italy, and then as President of the Monterey Institute of International Studies from 1987 to 1998. Since 1998, he has been an active consultant in Washington, D.C., on national security issues, including the international campaign to ban anti-personnel land mines.
Gard has written for well-known journals and periodicals that focus on military and international affairs and lectured widely at U.S. and international universities and academic conferences. He serves on the board of eight non-profit organizations and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Gard holds a B.A. from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and both an M.P.A. and Ph.D in Political Economy & Government from Harvard University.
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GARD IN THE NEWS
Robert Gard Interviewed by the Monterey County Herald
Bin Laden's death "is likely to bring some attempt at reprisal," said Lt. General (Ret) Robert Gard, Chairman and Senior Military Fellow at the Center for Arms Control and Non Proliferation in the Monterey County Herald on March 3, 2011.
Gard's Panel Presentation on The Nation Cruise
Lt. General Robert Gard attended The Nation's 13th annual cruise and spoke on a panel about the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which also featured Nation Jeremy Scahill, Stephen Cohen and John Nichols.
Robert Gard Quoted on North Korea in The Korea Times
On August, 24, Lt. Gen. Robert Gard, chairman of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation in Washington said, “Some American hawks cannot accept that the United States lets a repressive government like North Korea’s stay in power. The alternative, however, could be much worse.”
Robert Gard Wrote Letter to the Editor for The Washington Post
On August 13, Lt. Gen. Robert Gard, chairman of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, wrote a letter to the editor for The Washington Post on increased cuts to the defense budget.
Robert Gard featured in Maine Business About Nuclear Threat Talk at the University of New Engliand
Maine Business.com previews a talk by Lt.General Robert Gard, Jr. at a breakfast sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Maine, Peoples United Bank and HeadInvest on September 16, 2010 at the University of New England. "General Gard will review and evaluate the nuclear programs of the current US administration with these concerns in mind," said Maine Business.com.
Robert Gard Quoted on North Korea-Iran Nuclear Ties in the Korea Times
“North Korea obtained its weapons-grade nuclear material by reprocessing spent fuel, while Iran is enriching uranium that can be refined to the level of weapons grade,” Lt. General Robert G. Gard Jr., chairman of the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation, told The Korea Times. “Since North Korea is much further along with its nuclear program than Iran, it seems logical that North Korea would offer to sell a wide spectrum of technical nuclear assistance to Iran,” said Gard.
Robert Gard Interviewed on 65th Anniversary of Hiroshima Bombing by RT (Russian TV)
"It is important to show solidarity with Japan and to recognize the huge destructive power of nuclear weapons, in the hope that we can work together to prevent them from being used again,” said Lt. Gen. Robert Gard, chairman of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, when asked by Russia's RT about his views on U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos' attendance at the 65th anniversary ceremony of the Hiroshima bombing.
RECENT ARTICLES BY GARD
Apr 28, 2011 Negotiating with North Korea on its Nuclear Program
It is evident that a nuclear-armed North Korea is exceedingly detrimental to U.S. and allied security interests. It also appears obvious that a military attack on North Korea is highly unlikely to succeed in eliminating Pyongyang’s nuclear capability. However dim the prospect for success, the only realistic option is to pursue dialogue and negotiations with North Korea to try to persuade the regime to give up its nuclear weapons and its production facilities to produce them.
Nov 1, 2010 Patience with Iran is Needed for a Negotiated Solution
There has been much rhetoric suggesting that the United States, Israel, or both could become embroiled in a military conflict with Iran. While Jeffrey Goldberg has suggested in The Atlantic that Iran may be able to breathe easy for up to a year, former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton gave the country only days. Whether driven by fear or excitement, it is easy to get caught up in the march to war. But it is crucial to take a step back and evaluate before sounding the drums.
Feb 24, 2010 The Obama disarmament paradox: A rebuttal
Greg Mello's recent Bulletin article "The Obama Disarmament Paradox" distorts the Obama administration's nuclear agenda by making unjustified assumptions that discredit President Barack Obama's historic commitment to seek a nuclear-weapon-free world, write John Isaacs and Lt. Gen. Robert Gard, Jr. (USA, ret.) in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Aug 25, 2009 Zero Nuclear Weapons: A Feasible Goal?
Global Zero is dependent on compliance, which in turn relies on mutual trust between states in the international system that weapons will not be concealed. This appears remote and subsequently so too does the feasibility of such a goal as complete nuclear disarmament, Lt. Gen. Robert Gard writes on Atlantic-Community.org.
Jul 6, 2009 Decrease Stockpiles, Increase Security
This week in Moscow, Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev are holding a summit meeting that will heavily influence the next decade of U.S.-Russian relations. If the two leaders strike up a personal and political rapport, it could unfreeze a relationship that became icy in the final years of the Bush and Putin administrations. If the summit produces less favorable results, it could intensify mistrust and leave several foreign policy wounds to fester.
Jul 6, 2009 The Obama-Medvedev Security Summit
Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev are meeting this week in Moscow for their first full summit. High on their agenda is the landmark 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which will expire on December 5. In this op-ed published by Reuters, Lt. Gen. Robert Gard and Kingston Reif explain the importance of negotiating a START follow-on agreement.
Jun 25, 2009 Should Torture Be Part of the U.S.'s Counterterrorism Approach?
President Obama decided not to release a new group of detainee abuse photographs because he believes they would inflame our enemies and threaten American troops. Indeed, the shocking photos from Abu Ghraib have served as a powerful recruiting tool for al-Qaeda and have sparked outrage across the world.
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