Gregory Aftandilian

Professor, Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University

Schools

  • Boston University

Links

Biography

Boston University

Gregory Aftandilian, a consultant, scholar, and lecturer, is an adjunct faculty member at Boston University and American University.  He is also an associate of the Middle East Center at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and a Senior Fellow for the Middle East at the Center for National Policy in Washington, D.C.  He spent over 21 years in government service, most recently on Capitol Hill where he was foreign policy adviser to Congressman Chris Van Hollen (2007-2008), professional staff member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and foreign policy adviser to Senator Paul Sarbanes (2000-2004), and foreign policy fellow to the late Senator Edward Kennedy (1999). Prior to these positions, Mr. Aftandilian worked for thirteen years as a Middle East analyst at the U.S. Department of State where he was a recipient of the Department’s Superior Honor Award for his analyses on Egypt.  His other government experiences include analytical work for the U.S. Department of Defense and the Library of Congress.

Mr. Aftandilian was also a research fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (2006-2007) and an International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York (1991-1992), where he wrote the book, Egypt’s Bid for Arab Leadership: Implications for U.S. Policy  (1993).  He is also the author of the monographs: Looking Forward: An Integrated Strategy for Supporting Democracy and Human Rights in Egypt (2009); Presidential Succession Scenarios and Their Impact on U.S.-Egyptian Strategic Relations (2011); Egypt’s New Regime and the Future of the U.S.-Egyptian Strategic Relationship (2013); and Maneuvering the Islamist-Secularist Divide in the Arab World: How the United States Can Preserve its Interests and Values in an Increasingly Polarized Environment (2014).

Read about executive education

Cases

Saudi Crown Prince Wraps Up Boston Visit

March 26, 2018

WBUR Gregory Aftandilian Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is wrapping up his visit to Boston today… View full article

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Pompeo’s rise will make Mideast war more likely

March 14, 2018

The Conversation Gregory Aftandilian The United States Senate has confirmed CIA director Mike Pompeo, the hawkish former Kansas congressman, as secretary of State… Expert quote: “This could unleash a dangerous chain of events in the volatile Middle East. If the U.S. reimposes sanctions on Iran, hard-liners there – who have always opposed the nuclear deal – […]

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Generals bring order to chaotic White House staff

August 27, 2017

Middle East Online by Gregory Aftandilian, Pardee School of Global Studies “There have been few voices of caution about the military playing such a dominant role in policymaking, a role traditionally reserved for civilians…” View full article. 

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Remaking the Republican Party: Populism a la Trump

March 1, 2017

Al Jazeera News By Gregory Aftandilian, Questrom School of Business, Pardee School of Global Studies Even though US President Donald Trump has been criticised by “true” conservatives for his past liberal positions on social issues and his denunciations of trade pacts, his February 24 speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was widely applauded… View full […]

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Trump’s Comments about Iraqi Oil are Dangerous

February 8, 2017

Middle East Online Gregory Aftandilian, College of Arts and Sciences, Pardee School of Global Studies For Trump, everything is transactional… Expert quote: In his mind, if the United States spent lots on money in Iraq, it would be only natural to take the oil as part of the deal and maybe he was trying to play […]

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Immigrants and Donald Trump: It’s a complicated story

August 10, 2016

Al Jazeera By Gregory Aftandilian, College of Arts & Sciences, Pardee School of Global Studies Before his attack on the Khans – immigrant parents of a United States soldier who was killed in Iraq in 2004 – many immigrants in the United States and their children had voiced support for the Republican candidate Donald Trump… View […]

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Republican convention and Donald Trump’s party victory

July 18, 2016

Al Jazeera By Gregory Aftandilian, College of Arts & Sciences, Pardee School of Global Studies Presumptive Republican party presidential nominee Donald Trump is heading to the party convention in Cleveland, Ohio on July 18 – confident that his brand is working despite major misgivings by the party establishment… View full article by expert Gregory Aftandilian

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