Abrams, Elliott (1948–)
ABRAMS, ELLIOTT (1948–)
Senior director for Near East and North African Affairs, U.S. National Security Council (2002–). Educated at Harvard University, the London School of Economics, and Harvard Law School, Abrams first gained prominence when he served as U.S. president Ronald Reagan's assistant secretary of state for human rights (1981–1985), then as assistant secretary for inter-American affairs (1985–1989). He was indicted by the Iran-Contra special prosecutor for giving false testimony about his role in illicitly raising money for the Contras but pleaded guilty to two lesser offenses of withholding information from Congress. He was pardoned, along with a number of other Iran-Contra defendants, by President George H. W. Bush in 1992. In 2001 President George W. Bush nominated Abrams as senior director for Democracy, Human Rights, and International Operations in the National Security Council, a post Abrams held until 2002, when he was appointed senior director for Near East and North African Affairs. Critics charged that Abrams lacked credentials for the position, arguing that he was chosen
only because of his ideology (a criticism that had earlier been leveled when he served in the Reagan administration). He has not been known as an Arab-Israeli specialist but has been thought to favor Likud positions on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
SEE ALSO Bush, George H. W.;Bush, George W.;Likud.