Richard L. Armitage was Deputy Secretary of State in the Bush (43) administration from 2001 - 2005, where he was a key advisor on Mideast and global strategies. He has received recent attention and notoriety because of his role in Valerie Plame's outing as a CIA agent.

President Bush sent Armitage to Jordan's King Hussein during the 1991 Gulf war as a Special Emissary. In 1992 and 1993, Armitage (with the personal rank of Ambassador) directed U.S. assistance to the former member states of the Soviet Union.

In 1989 - 1992 Armitage filled key diplomatic positions in the Philippines and the Middle East. He served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in the Pentagon from 1983 to 1989. He represented the Department of Defense in developing politico-military relationships and initiatives throughout the world.

Armitage was a senior advisor in the 1980 Reagan campaign. From 1981 until 1983 he was Deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia and Pacific Affairs. In 1975 Armitage went to Washington as a Pentagon consultant and was posted in Tehran, Iran, until 1976. Following two years in the private sector, he was Administrative Assistant to Senator Robert Dole of Kansas in 1978.

Born in 1945, Armitage graduated in 1967 from the U.S. Naval Academy. He served three combat tours in Vietnam. Fluent in Vietnamese, Mr. Armitage left active duty in 1973 and joined the U.S. Defense, Attache Office, Saigon. Immediately prior to the fall of Saigon, he organized and led the removal of Vietnamese naval assets and personnel from the country.

Armitage has received numerous U.S. military decorations as well as decorations from the governments of Thailand, Republic of Korea, Bahrain, and Pakistan. Armitage was awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service four times, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Award for Outstanding Public Service, the Presidential Citizens Medal and the Department of State Distinguished Honor Award.

NOTE: Bio is as it appeared in the Forum program from November 7, 2007.