Richard V. Allen

Richard V. Allen
Allen in 1981
10thUnited States National Security Advisor
In office January 21, 1981 – January 4, 1982
President	Ronald Reagan
Deputy	James W. Nance
Preceded by	Zbigniew Brzezinski
Succeeded by	William P. Clark Jr.
5thUnited States Deputy National Security Advisor
In office 1969
President	Richard Nixon
Preceded by	Francis M. Bator
Succeeded by	Alexander Haig
Personal details
Born	Richard Vincent Allen (1936-01-01)January 1, 1936 Collingswood, New Jersey,U.S.
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	University of Notre Dame(BA,MA)

Richard Vincent Allen(born January 1, 1936)is a formerUnited States National Security Advisorserving PresidentRonald Reaganfrom 1981 to 1982. In 1977, prior to Reagan's presidential election in November 1980, he served as Reagan's chief foreign policy advisor. Since 1983, he has been a fellow at theHoover Institution.He is a past member of theDefense Policy Board Advisory Committee.

Early life and education

Allen was born on January 1, 1936, inCollingswood, New Jersey.A graduate of Saint Francis Preparatory School inSpring Grove, Pennsylvania,Allen received hisB.A.andM.Adegrees from theUniversity of Notre Dame.His M.A. from Notre Dame is inpolitical science.

Career

Allen and PresidentRonald Reaganin theOval Officeon January 21, 1981

Allen (standing on left) with Reagan and otherReagan administrationcabinet members in theWhite Housein May 1981

From 1962 to 1966, Allen worked at theCenter for Strategic and International Studies.He then joined theHoover Institutionas a senior staff member of from 1966 to 1968, when he left to become foreign policy coordinator toRichard Nixon.He served twice in the NixonWhite House.He was thenRonald Reagan's chief foreign policy advisor from 1977 to 1980, before being appointed as Reagan's firstNational Security Advisor.

In July 2000, Allen wrote an article forThe New York Times,detailing his role in the recruitment ofGeorge H. W. Bushto be Reagan'svice president.

National Security Advisor (1981–1982)

In November 1981, while serving as Reagan'sNational Security Advisor,Allen was accused of receiving abribefrom a Japanese journalist for setting up an interview in January 1981 with First LadyNancy Reagan.In his diary,Ronald Reaganwrote that the Japanese magazine gave cash gifts to people that it interviewed, and that Allen had stepped in to intercept the check to avoid embarrassment for Nancy Reagan, then gave the check to his secretary, who put it in an office safe. When Allen changed offices, the check was found left in the safe. TheFBIcleared everyone involved, and then theJustice Departmentbegan its own investigation, and the story was leaked to the press.

Reagan believed it political sabotage was behind leaking the story. A classified U.S. government source later revealed that Allen and his Potomac Associates partners were caught soliciting bribes, paid as "consulting fees" from Japanese corporations. Japanese security operations reported the crime to the U.S. Embassy inTokyoand requested the U.S. government quietly handle the removal.Although the claims were never proven, Allen was pressured to take a leave of absence.On January 4, 1982, he resigned and his position was filled by his deputy,James W. Nance.

In 1981, Allen said that an unidentified third country, possiblyCanada,had passed on an offer of 50 Vietnam War POWs in return for $4 billion. In lengthy, closed-door testimony under oath to committee investigators on June 23, 1992, he generally confirmed Hanoi's 1981 offer. Allen was asked by a committee staffer, "Soon after taking office, did theReagan administrationbecome involved in an offer made by the Vietnamese government for the return of live prisoners of war, if you can recall? "

Allen responded, "This $4 billion figure sticks in my mind, and I remember writing something—I don't know whether it was during a meeting with the president or to him—saying that it would be worth the president's going along and let's have the negotiation…"

Then Allen was asked, "Do you recall whether the $4 billion was for live American prisoners? To which he replied," Yes, I do if it was $4 billion, it was indeed for live prisoners. "When asked how many POWs he believed were still being held, he replied," Dozens, hundreds. " He later recanted and no other official has supported the statement in public.

Post-Reagan administration career

Allen is currently a senior fellow atStanford University'sHoover Institution,and a member ofThe Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies CenterAdvisory Council, theCouncil on Foreign Relations,theUnited States Defense Policy Board,the American Alternative Foundation, and the United States National Security Advisory Group. He also serves on the advisory council of the Nixon Center.

Allen is president of the Richard V. Allen Company, aWashington D.C.-based consulting services firm. He provides consulting services to international companies and organizations. He currently serves onAPCO Worldwide'sIraqreconstruction task force and is considered one of the most influential lobbyists in Washington, D.C. forSouth Korea's interests.

Allen is a fellow ofSt Margaret's College, Otago,a residential college inNew Zealand.

Books

• Allen, Richard V. (1966).Peace and Peaceful Coexistence.Chicago: American Bar Association, 1966.
• Allen, Richard V. (1967).Communism and Democracy: Theory and Action.Princeton: Van Nostrand, 1967.
• Allen, Richard V. (1969).Yearbook On International Communist Affairs 1968.Hoover Institution Press.ISBN0-8179-1801-9.

External links

• AppearancesonC-SPAN
• Letter to President Bush on the War on Terrorism,co-signed by Allen, September 20, 2001
• Interview with Miller Center of Public Affairs – Presidential Oral History Program
• "Richard Allen"at Militarist Monitor