L. Paul Bremer III Papers

Lewis Paul “Jerry” Bremer III was born on September 30, 1941, in Hartford, Connecticut to Lewis Bremer, Jr., president of Christian Dior perfumes, and Nina Bremer, teacher of art and architectural history at the University of Bridgeport. Bremer graduated from Yale College in 1963. He received a certificate in political studies from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris in 1964 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1966. Bremer married Frances Winfield on June 11, 1966.

Bremer joined the United States Foreign Service serving at posts in Kabul, Afghanistan and Malawi during the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1973, Bremer returned to the United States as executive secretary for United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger until 1976. He worked as deputy chief of mission at the United States Embassy in Oslo, Norway from 1976 until 1979. In the early 1980s, he became special assistant to the United States secretary of state. In 1983, United State president Ronald Reagan nominated Bremer to be ambassador to the Netherlands. In 1986, Reagan nominated Bremer to be United States ambassador-at-large for counter terrorism. Bremer retired from the United States State Department in 1989.

Bremer worked in the private sector as managing director of Kissinger Associates and later as chief executive officer and chairman of Marsh Crisis Consulting. Bremer performed consulting work and spoke to civic and trade groups about the post-Cold War climate for international business and how corporations might manage their overseas risk. Bremer returned to government service in 1999 when tapped to chair the National Commission on Terrorism from 1999 until 2000. Informally known as the "Bremer Commission," the bipartisan committee issued its report and recommendations, “Countering the Changing Threat of International Terrorism,” in June 2000. Subsequently, Bremer served on the United States Congressional Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction, known as the Gilmore Commission, from 2000 until 2002. During this time, and in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Bremer published numerous op-ed pieces and gave interviews discussing terrorism and counter terrorism policy.

In March 2003, the United States invaded Iraq, citing the need to conduct a preemptive military strike against Saddam Hussein’s regime due to allegations Iraq harbored weapons of mass destruction and international terrorists, as well as the Bush administration’s desire to promote democracy in the Middle East. Although the United States toppled the Hussein regime and occupied Baghdad by April, the situation quickly deteriorated during the United States occupation due to a humanitarian crisis, economic insecurity, political instability and violence caused by rival factions seeking primacy in the post-Saddam Hussein era, and competing visions within the United States government on how best to rebuild and stabilize Iraq.

On May 9, 2003, President George W. Bush nominated Bremer to serve as United States presidential envoy to Iraq, reporting to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Bremer assumed responsibility for the civilian administration in Iraq, heading the newly formed Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), which replaced the United State's Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA). Bremer was tasked with stabilizing Iraq and creating conditions that could permit the country’s transition to a democratic state under the control of the Iraqi people. He helped establish the Iraqi Governing Council consisting of Iraqi leaders of different religious and ethnic groups who were charged with drafting a constitution and constructing a framework for government. Bremer worked with the Iraqi Governing Council and national leaders, the United States and coalition political establishment, military officials, contractors, and international organizations to confront a host of issues in the country. Among the most pressing challenges for Bremer and the CPA included the removing Ba'athist influence, reconstructing the disbanded Iraqi army, fostering civil society, addressing a growing insurgency directed against United States and coalition forces, restoring basic public services, and responding to torture and human rights abuses by United States soldiers at the Abu Ghraib Prison. As CPA administrator, Bremer announced the capture of Saddam Hussein by United States forces on December 14, 2003. On behalf of the United States government and coalitions forces, Bremer formally transferred governing authority to the Iraq Interim Government on June 28, 2004.

Bremer has continued to write and speak on his experiences in Iraq and in the United States foreign service. In December 2004, President George W. Bush awarded Bremer the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2006, Bremer published a memoir on his time in Iraq, My Year in Iraq: the Struggle to Build a Future of Hope, co-authored with Malcolm McConnell.

30 September 1941

Born in Hartford, Connecticut

1963

BA, Yale College

1964

Certificate of Political Studies, Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris

1966

MBA, Harvard Business School

11 June 1966

Married Frances Winfield

1966-1972

Diplomat, United States State Department

1973-1976

Executive Secretary to United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger

1976-1979

United States Deputy Chief of Mission, Norway

1981-1983

Special Assistant and Executive Secretary to United States Secretary of State

1983-1986

United States Ambassador to the Netherlands

1986-1989

United States Ambassador-at-Large for Counter Terrorism

1989-2000

Managing Director, Kissinger Associates

1999-2000

Chairman, National Commission on Terrorism (Bremer Commission)

2000-2002

Member, United States Congressional Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction (Gilmore Commission)

2000-2003

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Marsh Crisis Consulting

9 May 2003 - 28 June 2004

United States Presidential Envoy to Iraq and Administrator of Coalition Provisional Authority

December 2004

Awarded United States Presidenital Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush

2006

Published, My Year in Iraq: The Struggle to Build a Future of Hope, co-authored with Malcolm McConnell