The Jamestown Foundation

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The Jamestown Foundation is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, whose stated mission is to "inform and educate" policy makers about events and trends which it regards as being of current "strategic" importance to the United States. Its website claims that "utilizing indigenous and primary sources, Jamestown’s material is delivered without political bias, filter or agenda."[1]

William Geimer founded the Jamestown Foundation in 1984 after Arkady Shevchenko, the highest-ranking Soviet Union official ever to defect when he left his position as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, defected in 1978. Geimer had been working closely with Shevchenko, and established the foundation as a vehicle to promote the writings of the former Soviet diplomat and those of Ion Pacepa, a former top Romanian intelligence officer; with the help of Geimer and the foundation, both defectors published bestselling books.[2]

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William J. Casey, a leading figure in national security organizations, helped back the formation of The Jamestown Foundation, agreeing with its complaints that the U.S. intelligence community did not provide sufficient funding of Soviet bloc defectors. The foundation was initially dedicated to supporting Soviet dissidents. The new organization also enabled the defectors to earn extra money by lecturing and writing.

Currently, its primary focus is on China, Russia/Eurasia and terrorism. As of 2008, its publications include China Brief, Eurasia Daily Monitor, Global Terrorism Analysis and North Caucasus Weekly (aka Chechnya Weekly). Previous publications included Eurasia Security Trends, Fortnight in Review, Monitor, North Korea Review, Prism, Russia and Eurasia Review, Russia’s Week, Spotlight on Terror, Terrorism Focus and Terrorism Monitor. The Jamestown Foundation acquires its information through official or intelligence channels.

As of 2008, the foundation’s current board include James H. Burnley IV and Frank Keating,[3] while the Jamestown's fellows include David Satter, Michael Scheuer and Vladimir Socor.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Policy Recommendations for a Political Solution in Georgia's Region of South Ossetia
  2. ^ Origins
  3. ^ BOARD MEMBERS
  4. ^ JAMESTOWN FELLOWS

[edit] External links

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