David C. Speedie

Founder and Former Director, U.S. Global Engagement Program

David Speedie is the founder and former director of the Council's program on U.S. Global Engagement. He is a founding member of The American Committee for East-West Accord.

In 2007–2008, Speedie was also a senior fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Speedie worked at Carnegie Corporation of New York from 1992 to 2007. He joined the Corporation as a program officer in the cooperative security program and was appointed program chair in March 1993, a position he held for almost 12 years. In 2004, he was appointed to serve as special advisor to the president and director of the Corporation's project on Islam.

He was recruited from the W. Alton Jones Foundation where he was codirector of the secure society program and directed, over a five year period, programs in the arts, urban affairs, and the environment. In the 1980s, Speedie was a consultant to nonprofits in management, marketing, and fund-raising as well as director of cultural affairs for Mayor Bill Green in Philadelphia. He also served as the bicentennial liaison officer at the British Embassy in Washington.

For three years, Speedie was a professor of English and drama at the University of St Andrews in his native Scotland. Speedie holds an Honours M.A. [First Class] in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Studies and an M.Litt. from the University of St Andrews. He was a visiting research fellow as a Kennedy scholar at Harvard University from 1971–1973. He has been a book editor and writer for the National Endowment for the Arts' Community Vision, a freelance journalist on politics for The Scotsman, and most recently, a reviewer for the International Journal of Middle East Studies. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Featured Work

Power Rules: How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy

OCT 16, 2009 Podcast

Power Rules: How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy

How can America build partnerships and coalitions to solve today's global problems? Will the nation continue to dominate world affairs, or are we fast approaching ...

AUG 17, 2009 Article

U.S./NATO-Russia Cooperation on Afghanistan and Central Asia

This set of four papers focuses on U.S./NATO-Russia cooperation on Afghanistan in its regional context, looking at common interests in Afghanistan's stability, the ...

AUG 17, 2009 Article

Obama's War

As President Obama and his administration lead the nation and their coalition partners in a renewed effort in the war in Afghanistan, what can be ...

"Restart Button" (photo modified)<br>Original photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/statephotos/3338931387/" target="_blank">U.S. Department of State</a> (<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en" target="blank_">CC</a>)

AUG 5, 2009 Article

Resetting the Reset

The "reset button" has become the metaphor for restoring U.S.-Russia relations. But is it working? Despite the progress made, a number of critical ...

JUL 21, 2009 Article

U.S.-Russian Arms Control Priorities

This set of four papers focuses on arms control in the context of the critical and evolving U.S.-Russia relationship.

JUL 10, 2009 Podcast

Russia and U.S.-Russia Relations: David Speedie Interviews Ambassador Thomas Pickering

Ambassador Thomas Pickering discusses Russia's role in the unfolding events in Iran and other potential areas of cooperation between Russia and the United States, including ...

MAY 11, 2009 Podcast

After President Obama's Visit to Europe: U.S. Relations with the EU, NATO, and Russia

Distinguished German statesman Karsten Voigt discusses the German political mindset, which grew out of its situation after World War II; Obama's popularity in Germany; and ...

APR 28, 2009 Podcast

Prospects for U.S.-Russia Relations

Russian Ambassador H.E. Mr. Kislyak's comprehensive talk includes his thoughts on U.S.-Russia relations, nuclear proliferation, and Russia today. He also gives us ...

MAR 23, 2009 Podcast

A Conversation with David Hamburg: The Commitment to Prevention

David Speedie interviews David Hamburg on the prevention agenda of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and its legacy of preventing interstate conflict, genocide, and ...

"Restart Button"<br> Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/statephotos/3338931387/" target="_blank">U.S. Department of State</a> (<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en" target="blank_">CC</a>)

MAR 13, 2009 Article

Reset Button Plus

David C. Speedie argues that the Obama mantra for U.S.-Russia relations is "hit the 'reset button,'" yet the Clinton years (1992-2000) were ...