Council on Foreign Relations

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is a think tank which describes itself as "dedicated to increasing America's understanding of the world and contributing ideas to U.S foreign policy. The Council accomplishes this mainly by promoting constructive, closed debates and discussions, clarifying world issues, and publishing Foreign Affairs."

It began in 1921 and is one of the most powerful private organizations with influence on U.S. foreign policy. It has about 4,000 members, selected on the basis of wealth, national security experience, CIA experience, track record in electoral politics, or influence in the corporate media.

There are several conspiracy theories surrounding the CFR. Some say that it is in fact a front for the secretive round table groups.

Board of Directors

• Peter G. Peterson, Chairman of the Board
  
• Carla Anderson Hills, Vice Chairman of the Board
  
• William J. McDonough, Vice Chairman of the Board
  
• Leslie H. Gelb, President
  
• Michael P. Peters, Executive Vice President, CEO, and Director of Studies
  
• David Kellogg, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, and Publisher
  
• Janice L. Murray, Senior Vice President and Treasurer
  
• Irina Faskianos, Vice President, National and Outreach Programs
  
• Elise Carlson Lewis, Vice President, Membership and Fellowship Affairs
  
• Abraham Lowenthal, Vice President
  
• Anne R. Luzzatto, Vice President, Meetings
  
• Robert C. Orr, Vice President; Director, Washington Program
  
• Lisa Shields, Vice President, Communications
  
• Lilita Gusts, Secretary of the Corporation
  

• Fouad Ajami
• Jeffrey Bewkes
• Henry S. Bienen
• Lee Cullum
• John Mark Deutch
• Kenneth M. Duberstein
• Margaret Peggy Rockefeller Dulany
• Jessica P. Einhorn
• Martin S. Feldstein
• Leslie H. Gelb ex officio
• Louis V. Gerstner, Jr
• Carla Anderson Hills, Vice Chairman
• Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke
• Robert D. Hormats
• Bette Bao Lord
• Vincent A. Mai
• William J. McDonough, Vice Chairman
• George J. Mitchell
• Michael H. Moskow
• Ronald L. Olson
• Peter G. Peterson, Chairman
• Thomas R. Pickering
• Robert E. Rubin
• Warren Bruce Rudman
• Theodore C. Sorensen
• George Soros
• Joan Edelman Spero
• Laura D'Andrea Tyson
• Garrick Utley
• Vin Weber
• Andrew Jackson Young, Jr

• Maurice R. Greenberg, Honorary Vice Chairman
• Charles McC. Mathias, Jr
• David Rockefeller, Honorary Chairman
• Robert A. Scalapino

• Joe Klein
• Adam Michnik
• Richard V. Allen, former National Security Advisor

• http://www.cfr.org - Council of Foreign Relations website

• Focus on the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)

• long list of members