Richard Armitage

Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State

Richard Armitage was the 13th United States Deputy Secretary of State, serving from 2001 to 2005. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and then after the fall of Saigon moved to Washington D.C. to work as a consultant for the United States Department of Defense, which sent him to Tehran and Bangkok.

Throughout the late 70s and early 80s, Armitage worked as an aide and foreign policy advisor to politicians including Senator Bob Dole and President-elect Ronald Reagan. When Reagan was elected, Armitage was appointed to the Department of Defense. In the 1990s, Armitage worked in the private sector before being confirmed as Deputy Secretary of State with the election of George W. Bush in 2001. He left the post in 2005.

Armitage was educated at the United States Naval Academy. He is an avid bodybuilder, and speaks many languages, including Vietnamese.

Everything Videos

What is your question?

Are you striking a healthy balance?

Richard Armitage

What is your counsel?

Richard Armitage urges society to invest in education.

Richard Armitage

How will this age be remembered?

We’re in a transitional age, Armitage says.

Richard Armitage

What is your outlook?

Armitage thinks the future is in our hands.

Richard Armitage

How do you track foreign aid?

The answer isn’t in regulation, Armitage says.

Richard Armitage

Is China going to rule Africa?

Richard Armitage talks about some of the risks of China’s recent economic and military advances.

Richard Armitage

Should we leave Africa alone?

Absolutely not, Armitage says.

Richard Armitage

What is to be done in Darfur?

Darfur needs a bigger U.S. presence, Armitage says.

Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage on Darfur and Infectious Disease

Armitage strongly argues that the Darfur and AIDS crises are too important to ignore.

Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage on The Value of Snark

Shows like “The Daily Show” indicate an awareness, Armitage says.

Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage on the Media and National Security

Richard Armitage on the problem of national security and the press

Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage on the Media and the Iraq War

Why the press went AWOL after Sept. 11.

Richard Armitage

Is the American political system broken?

Armitage believes the system has a way of correcting itself.

Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage on Iraq and What’s Next

Armitage talks about whether the US has an obligation to Iraq.

Richard Armitage

Is an all volunteer army enough?

Does it affect ability address threats and protect our interests?

Richard Armitage

Should the president have military experience?

Armitage makes a strong argument that military experience is not necessarily a prerequisite for America’s top post.

Richard Armitage

Is democracy the answer?

Richard Armitage promotes reform leads to democracy, not the other way around.

Richard Armitage

How do we address Islamic fundamentalism?

Armitage, on the battle within Islam.

Richard Armitage

Is China’s rise our downfall?

The case may be in the peaceful development of China that the rising tide can raise all boats.

Richard Armitage

How do we deal with Tehran?

We should be talking to Iran, Armitage says.

Richard Armitage

Learn from the world's biggest thinkers.

© Copyright 2007-2026 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved.