November 2, 2001
This talk will explore the evolving debate on U.S. defense policy, beginning with the agenda that the new Bush administration brought into office, discussing the politics of defense change prior to the events of September 11, 2001, and examining how the new counter terrorism policies and actions influence the unfolding changes.
Dr. Michael Wheeler received his B.S. degree from the Air Force Academy, M.A. degrees from Georgetown University and the University of Arizona, and a Ph.D. from Arizona. He is currently a member of the senior research staff in the Strategy Group of Science Application International Corporation (SAIC). Dr. Wheeler retired from the Air Force in 1991, serving at that time as the arms control advisor to the Chairman of the JCS. Previously, he had served at the National Security Council and State Department, and a range of field, staff, and faculty assignments in the military. In addition to work in SAIC's Strategy Group, Dr. Wheeler serves on the Strategic Advisory group (SAG) to US Strategic Command, on the National Security Advisory Committee at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and as the executive assistant to the chairman of the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) Advisory Committee. During 1998 and 1999, Dr. Wheeler was the staff director of the Commission on Maintaining U.S. Nuclear Weapons Expertise (the Chiles Commission).