Hoya Staff Writer Friday, May 19, 2006

The appointment of a former Bush administration official to the School of Foreign Service faculty has drawn objections from a growing group of Georgetown professors who oppose policies promoted by the appointee and question the legitimacy of the hiring process. The university announced May 1 that Douglas Feith (LAW ’78), a former undersecretary of defense who argued strongly for the military invasion of Iraq, will join the SFS as a visiting professor and distinguished practitioner in national security policy this fall. Since then at least 35 professors have signed a letter claiming that many experts consider Feith’s role in justifying and executing the Iraq war “constitute war crimes . which the most sympathetic would have to think a highly dubious grounds for further employment.” The letter from faculty alleges that Feith “has sought to diminish the importance of the Geneva Conventions and has defended the use of torture in a number of public writings and talks.” SFS Dean Robert Gallucci defended the appointment, saying it would provide students with the perspective of a policymaker from the administration. “On more than one occasion I am on record as a critic of that foreign policy, including of course the decision to invade Iraq,” he said. “But the fact that I don’t have any support for the policies of this administration shouldn’t determine who can and cannot teach at this university.” Professors opposed to the appointment have also objected because Gallucci did not consult with faculty to the extent that he does for most appointments. “You have no way by which you can judge who is teaching . if this person’s academic credentials have not been examined,” said History Professor Judith Tucker, who has signed the letter. “My guess is a very large percentage of faculty are going to agree with the problem of process.” Gallucci justified the appointment as one of a handful of foreign policy practitioners who have not had to follow usual hiring process for career faculty. “I strongly believe the process was legitimate,” Gallucci said. “It was identical to the one used and followed for hiring other senior practitioners we have – Madeleine Albright, Tony Lake and George Tenet, among others.” Feith advocated for a hard line against Saddam Hussein following the Sept. 11 attacks and he oversaw the Office of Special Plans, which became the Bush administration’s lead policy shop in the run-up to war. As war deaths mounted and allegations of prisoner abuse at the American-run Abu Ghraib prison emerged, Feith became a target of critics who allege his office botched reconstruction efforts and oversold faulty intelligence to justify the war. Philosophy professor Mark Lance spearheaded the protest against Feith and said he will encourage the Faculty Senate to develop tighter controls on the appointment of faculty practitioners. “The positions reflect on the status and reputation of the university and are often effectively permanent,” he said. In an interview Tuesday, Feith said that he knows that his work in the administration was “highly controversial.”That’s actually part of the reason that Bob Gallucci thought it would be a good idea that I were to come to Georgetown so that some of those controversies would be discussed in an informed and rational manner,” he said. Feith objected to what he views as oversimplifications or exaggerations of his beliefs. “It’s remarkable how often I get criticized for views that I don’t hold,” he said. He said that he looks forward to his fall class, which will examine the Bush administration and the war on terrorism. “The university should be open to a range of ideas and I’m looking forward to engaging in discussions and debates with people about the work that I did,” he said. “I hope that’s going to be possible.”