Karl Eikenberry

Karl Eikenberry is a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center, senior adviser to the United States Institute of Peace and a faculty member of Schwarzman College. His four decades of national service culminated as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan. He had a 35-year career in the United States Army, retiring with the rank of lieutenant general. His postings included commander and staff officer with mechanized, light, airborne and ranger infantry units in the continental U.S., Hawaii, Korea and Italy, and in Afghanistan as the commander of the American-led Coalition forces. He also held various political-military positions, ranging from deputy chairman of the NATO Military Committee in Brussels; director for strategic planning and policy for the U.S. Pacific Command; U.S. security coordinator in Kabul, Afghanistan; senior country director for China and Taiwan in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; and assistant Army attaché — and, later, defense attaché — at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.