Page 22 - Priorities #48 2011-January/February

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Q&A
From the Priory to International Politics: an Inteview with
Dr. Andrew Kuchins ‘77 Director and Senior Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program
Interview by Sean Mclain Brown, Director of Communications at the Priory
Andrew Kuchins is a senior fellow and director of the CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program. He is an internationally renowned expert on Russian foreign and domestic policies who publishes widely and is frequently called on by business, government, media, and academic leaders for comment and consulting on Russian and Eurasian affairs.
SMB: What do you enjoy most about your career in Russian and Eurasian foreign policy?
AK: I enjoy the travel and opportunity to meet and engage with political leaders and leading experts from a wide variety of countries. Covering RussiaandEurasiatakesmetoalotofcountriesfromEuropetoChina. Not only does the travel provide invaluable insights and contacts, but it also helps me understand how others around the world perceive the United States.
SMB: How did you become interested in foreign policy?
AK: My imagination was first captured in 1972 when Nixon went to China to openrelationsandtheUSSRtopromotedétente. HenryKissingerwashis main foreign policy advisor and later Secretary of State, and I thought that looked like a pretty cool job--travelling all over the world meeting important and smart people and trying to advance US interests.
SMB: Is there an anecdote you can share that illustrates what you do for CSIS?
AK: Anecdote--that is a tough one, but since I came to CSIS nearly 4 years ago, I have engaged much more with the U.S. military, especially in the past 18 months in a couple of projects I have done on Afghanistan. The level of professionalism and competence among our military institutions is astonishingly high.
SMB: What is the most challenging aspect of your work with CSIS?
AK: If you are honest, I think it is really hard to maintain an open mind to new insights as well as maintaining objectivity and balance in your analysis. I hate the idea of becoming predictable and boring, and I also have little tolerance for reading or listening to someone who has nothing new to say.
with the Center for Strategic and International Studies