David L. Aaron

David L. Aaron
Born	(1938-08-21) August 21, 1938 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Diplomat, author
Years active	1962–present
Known for	Deputy National Security Advisor (Carter administration), U.S. Permanent Representative to OECD, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade

David Laurence Aaron (born August 21, 1938) is a distinguished American diplomat and author who held positions within the administrations of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. He completed his undergraduate studies at Occidental College with a BA and earned a Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University. Occidental College later honored him with an honorary doctorate. Currently, he leads the RAND Corporation's Center for Middle East Public Policy.

Background and early career

Originating from Chicago, Illinois, Aaron began his career in the U.S. foreign service in 1962, initially serving as a political and economic officer stationed in Guayaquil, Ecuador. By 1964, he transitioned to the NATO desk at the Department of State, subsequently acting as a political officer assigned to NATO, where he contributed to the Nuclear Planning Group and worked on matters related to the Non Proliferation Treaty.

Following this, Aaron joined the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and participated as a member of the U.S. delegation during the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). He played an instrumental role in negotiating an agreement with the Soviet Union aimed at mitigating risks associated with nuclear weapon accidents. Between 1972 and 1974, during the Nixon administration, Aaron was part of Henry Kissinger's staff on the National Security Council, where he authored NSSM 242 on Nuclear Strategy, commonly referred to as the Schlesinger Doctrine.

In 1974, upon recommendation from Zbigniew Brzezinski, Aaron was appointed legislative assistant to Senator Walter Mondale. The following year, he led the Senate's task force for the Select Committee on Intelligence and was the chief architect behind its proposals. Subsequently, he joined Mondale’s presidential campaign under the banner of Jimmy Carter.

Deputy National Security Advisor

In 1977, Aaron was named Deputy National Security Advisor by National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski within the administration of President Jimmy Carter. He was one among several former aides to Henry Kissinger who were brought into significant roles in both foreign policy and defense sectors.

Aaron quickly emerged as a prominent figure in foreign affairs and within the Democratic Party. He acted as a special envoy on Presidential missions across Africa, Latin America, China, Israel, and Europe. Soon after Carter’s inauguration, he attended the prestigious Bilderberg Conference, where he engaged in confidential discussions with German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. While in Israel, Aaron worked alongside Moshe Dayan on Palestinian "autonomy," a concept that later influenced the structure of the Camp David Agreements, which were pivotal in establishing peace between Egypt and Israel.

He also represented White House interests in negotiations involving French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and officials from the UK Cabinet Office at 10 Downing Street. President Carter entrusted Aaron to lead an inter-agency effort aimed at securing European endorsement for deploying U.S. Pershing and Ground Launched Cruise Missiles as a countermeasure against Soviet deployment of SS-20 missiles. Through his efforts, he successfully convinced influential governments to support these deployments while encouraging bilateral discussions with the U.S.S.R. focused on their eventual elimination.

Aaron developed a reputation as a determined and occasionally contentious figure. The U.S. Ambassador to France accused him of conducting clandestine negotiations with Giscard d'Estaing’s office. In 1978, tensions arose between him and CIA Director Stansfield Turner over reductions within the agency. His assertiveness was further highlighted during a Soviet-backed offensive by South Yemen against North Yemen; while President Carter, Brzezinski, and Secretary of State Cyrus Vance were abroad, Aaron managed the U.S. response from Washington. He strongly advocated for supplying $400 million worth of arms to North Yemen to counter Communist influence. White House personnel noted his uncompromising approach, with one remarking that many felt "relieved when Brzezinski got back to town."

Post-government career

Following Reagan's inauguration as president in 1981, Aaron shifted into the private sector, taking on the role of vice president for Mergers and Acquisitions at Oppenheimer and Co. as well as serving as Vice Chairman of Oppenheimer International. He departed from Oppenheimer in 1985 to focus on writing and lecturing, although he maintained a position on the board of Oppenheimer's Quest for Value Dual Purpose Fund. Over several years, Aaron authored three novels—State Scarlet, Agent of Influence, and Crossing By Night—which were translated into ten different languages. Additionally, he wrote the documentary "The Lessons of the Gulf War," which was hosted by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff William J. Crowe. Between 1990 and 1992, he provided consultancy services for the 20th Century Fund.

Aaron also contributed significantly to the political campaigns of Walter Mondale and Bill Clinton, acting as a senior consultant on defense and foreign policy for Mondale and joining Clinton’s foreign policy advisory team during his campaign.

OECD Ambassador tenure and aftermath

In 1993, Aaron was appointed as the United States Permanent Representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) based in Paris. Three years later, in 1996, he took on the additional responsibility of White House Special Envoy for Cryptography. During his tenure at the OECD, he played a pivotal role in negotiating the convention aimed at banning bribery in international business dealings. As Special Envoy, Aaron championed a global framework that required users of advanced encryption technologies to provide encryption keys to an independent authority when ordered by a court, with the goal of preventing terrorists from exploiting unbreakable codes.

Despite opposition from privacy advocates worried about potential abuses by governments and corporations, Aaron continued his efforts by serving from 1997 as Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, where he negotiated data privacy agreements with the European Union concerning personal information management.

After President Clinton’s second term concluded, Aaron joined Dorsey & Whitney as a senior international advisor before transitioning to the RAND Corporation in 2003 as a senior fellow. At RAND, he leads The Center For Middle East Public Policy and authored "In Their Own Words: Voices of Jihad," published under RAND Corporation's auspices.

Personal life

David Aaron married Chloe Aaron in 1962; together they had one son. His wife passed away in early 2020. He holds affiliations with several organizations including the American Ditchley Foundation, Atlantic Council, Council on Foreign Relations, International League of Human Rights, National Democratic Institute, and the Pacific Council on International Policy.

References

• The Other Side of the Story, Jody Powell, Morrow 1984

External links

• David L. Aaron Papers at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University