Paul Bremer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Bremer
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Bremer in 2003
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| Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority of Iraq | |
| In office May 12, 2003 – June 28, 2004 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy | Richard Jones |
| President of the IGC |
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| Preceded by | Jay Garner (as Director of the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance) |
| Succeeded by | Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer (as Interim President of Iraq) |
| 6th Coordinator for Counterterrorism | |
| In office October 17, 1986 – May 25, 1989 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Robert B. Oakley |
| Succeeded by | Morris Busby |
| United States Ambassador to the Netherlands | |
| In office August 31, 1983 – August 25, 1986 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | William J. Dyess |
| Succeeded by | John S. R. Shad |
| 9th Executive Secretary of the United States Department of State | |
| In office February 2, 1981 – March 27, 1983 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Peter Tarnoff |
| Succeeded by | Charles Hill |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Lewis Paul Bremer III
September 30, 1941 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | |
Lewis Paul Bremer III (born September 30, 1941) is a retired American diplomat. He was a very important leader in Iraq after the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States. From May 2003 to June 2004, he was the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), which was like the temporary government of Iraq.
Early Life and Education
Paul Bremer was born on September 30, 1941, in Hartford, Connecticut, in the U.S. He went to several schools, including New Canaan Country School and Phillips Academy Andover. His father was in charge of Christian Dior Perfumes, and his mother taught art history.
Bremer studied at Yale University and graduated in 1963. He then earned a business degree (MBA) from Harvard University in 1966. He also continued his studies in Paris, France, at the Institut d'études politiques de Paris.
Career in Public Service
Starting in Foreign Service
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In 1966, Bremer joined the Foreign Service. This meant he worked for the U.S. government in other countries. His first job was in Kabul, Afghanistan. Later, he worked in Blantyre, Malawi, from 1968 to 1971.
During the 1970s, Bremer worked in the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. He was an assistant to Henry Kissinger, a famous diplomat, from 1972 to 1976. He helped Kissinger on important trips to countries like Israel, Syria, and Egypt to help end the Yom Kippur War in 1973. He also worked in Oslo, Norway, and later became an executive secretary for the State Department.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan made Bremer the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands. In 1986, he became an ambassador-at-large for counterterrorism, meaning he worked on fighting terrorism around the world.
Working in the Private Sector
Bremer left the Foreign Service in 1989. He then worked at a consulting company called Kissinger and Associates. He also became the head of Marsh Crisis Consulting, a company that helps businesses with risks.
He was also part of several important groups and companies. Bremer and his wife started the Lincoln/Douglass Scholarship Foundation. This group helps inner-city students get high school scholarships.
National Commission on Terrorism
In 1999, Bremer was chosen to lead the National Commission on Terrorism. This group studied how to fight terrorism. They published a report in 2000 called "Countering The Changing Threat of International Terrorism." He also worked on another report about using science and technology to fight terrorism.
Leading the Coalition in Iraq
In May 2003, President George W. Bush appointed Bremer to be his special representative in Iraq. He took over from Lt. General Jay Garner as the head of the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance. This office soon became the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), and Bremer became the main leader in Iraq.
As the top civilian leader, Bremer had the power to make new rules. Two of his first big decisions were to ban the Ba'ath party and to break up the Iraqi Army.
On July 13, 2003, Bremer helped create the Iraqi Interim Governing Council. This council was meant to represent the Iraqi people. Bremer chose the members of this council and still had the final say on their ideas.
The CPA also worked on creating a new constitution for Iraq. After some discussions, an interim constitution was signed on March 8, 2004. This was meant to be a temporary constitution until Iraqi elections could be held.
On June 28, 2004, the U.S.-led CPA officially handed over some control of Iraq to the Iraqi Interim Government. This happened two days earlier than planned. Bremer left Iraq on the same day. In his farewell speech, he said he was happy with what had been done and believed in Iraq's future.
Bremer's role in Iraq received a lot of discussion. There were questions about how some money was managed during his time. Also, his decisions to privatize some industries and to disband the Iraqi Army were criticized. Some people believe these decisions contributed to problems in Iraq later on.
John Negroponte took over Bremer's role as the highest-ranking American civilian in Iraq.
After Iraq
After returning from Iraq, Bremer gave several speeches. On December 14, 2004, President Bush gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is America's highest award for civilians. He also received other awards for his public service.
Bremer's visits to universities sometimes led to protests from students who disagreed with his actions in Iraq. He often defended his decisions, saying that the Iraqi army had already left its barracks and that there was no army to disband. He also compared Saddam Hussein's party to Adolf Hitler's party.
In 2007, Bremer appeared before a committee in Congress. He was asked about how funds were managed during his time leading the CPA.
His Book
In 2006, Bremer wrote a book called My Year in Iraq: The Struggle to Build a Future of Hope. The book describes his daily experiences and interactions while in Baghdad.
Hobbies and Other Work
After taking art lessons, Bremer started painting landscapes in 2007. He sells his oil paintings through his company, Bremer Enterprises. The money he earns goes to historical societies in Vermont, where he moved after retiring.
He also wrote another book in 2011 called From Sea to Shining Sea: Biking Across America with Wounded Warriors.
Bremer has also worked as a ski instructor at a resort in Vermont. He even helped set up Afghanistan's first ski run when he was working there.
He continues to do consulting work and serves on various boards. He is on the board of BlastGard International, a company that makes materials to reduce the impact of explosions.
Internet Meme
Bremer is part of a popular internet meme. This meme uses his phrase "Ladies and gentlemen, we got him" after the capture of Saddam Hussein. People use it when someone gets caught or exposed, often with a specific song playing. Bremer was interested when his granddaughter told him about this trend. He hoped it would make more people curious about what happened in Iraq.
See also
In Spanish: Paul Bremer para niños
