TO NINA
without whom none of this
would have been possible
&
TO LEAH, ARIANA,
BENJAMIN, & JED,
my hope for the future
More advance praise for
JOURNEYS TO WAR & PEACE
and Stephen J. Solarz
This fascinating book shares with the reader what many of us who worked alongside him already knewthat he was a savvy and effective public servant, dedicated to promoting U.S. interests and advancing the causes of democracy and human rights worldwide. Journeys to War and Peace is more than an engaging illumination of Congressman Solarzs international activities, it is a testament to what one individual can accomplish when armed with determination, creativity, and an irrepressible desire to help others.
SENATOR CHRIS DODD
Steve Solarz was both a statesman and a member of Congress, a rare combination. No American did more to help restore democracy to the Philippines, and few members of Congress had as much impact globally in steering U.S. foreign policy towards peace-making and democracy-building. Journeys to War and Peace helps us understand what a wise Congressman has done and what Congress can do to further U.S. interests abroad.
JIMMY CARTER
The literature on Congress and foreign policy suggests that its role has either been destructive or marginal. Steve Solarzs career and memoir provide compelling evidence that Congress can be constructive and central in steering the President toward infusing American foreign policy with its values and reinforcing the President to make necessary and unpopular decisions to advance U.S. interests abroad. Also, unlike most books on Congress, Solarzs is insightful, readable, and entertaining. I would recommend this for every student and course on Congress and on U.S. foreign policy.
ROBERT A. PASTOR
Professor of International Relations, American University
Steven Solarzs Journeys to War and Peace: A Congressional Memoir is a succinct and sharp introduction to the most significant international conflicts of the last two decades. Written from the perspective of an influential American Congressman of his time, Solarz examines the core issues of the Middle East Peace Process, Apartheid, the birth of Zimbabwe, the tragedies of Zaire, Cambodia, the fall of Marcos, the India and Pakistan conflict, the Gulf War, Turkey, Kosovo, Korea, Taiwan, and other conflicts. It is an absorbing, fascinating and well-written account and will certainly be included in libraries and collections.
This book will be most useful for students of politics, diplomats, negotiators and decision-makers because they will gain valuable insight into why elected politicians take the actions they do, how they work the political process to achieve policy objectives, and why they are successful. His last chapter, Lessons Learned, is an important legacy to pass on to others. In the case of Steven Solarz, he became one of the U.S. Congressmen who can reasonably claim to have had an impact on American foreign policy. It was his immense persistence and fighting spirit.
LEE KUAN YEW
Minister Mentor, Singapore
Steve Solarzs Journeys to War and Peace is one of the most illuminating commentaries on the role of Congress in foreign policy in many years. By dramatically showing how an individual congressman can make a difference on a broad range of foreign policy issues he demonstrates that foreign policy is not the exclusive prerogative of the presidency. A must and enjoyable read for anyone who wants to understand the ways in which Congress can influence American foreign policy.
ROBERT DALLEK
presidential historian and author of biographies
about John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson
Steve Solarzs book is both a touching personal memoir and a quiet demonstration of how a dedicated, determined, and intensely knowledgeable congressman could exert real influence on American foreign policy over two decades. His contributions to democracy in the Philippines and South Korea modestly recounted here are a lasting testament of a Solarz foreign policy.
MORT ABRAMOWITZ
former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Thailand
More than an eyewitness to history, Congressman Steven Solarz bent historytowards greater human freedom and democracy. He tells this compelling tale in scenes that stick with the reader long afterwards. His book is as superb as was his decency and dedication in public life.
KENNETH ADELMAN
former Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and head of the
Arms Control and Disarmament Agency under President Reagan
Imagine a member of Congress who helped bring down dictators, gave comfort to dissidents around the world, spent quality time with some of his eras most famous heroes and villainsand with lots of other interesting people in between. Then imagine that this former man has the pen of an angel, an eye for the extraordinary detail, and an ear for what people are really saying. That would be Steve Solarz, and thats why its a blessing that he has given us this extraordinary memoir.
E. J. DIONNE JR.
columnist, Washington Post
In the American scheme of government, the House of Representatives is not supposed to have a major role in foreign policy formulation. Steve Solarz, by the force of his intellect, personality and passion for a just and peaceful world defied that set of rules and was, during his tenure, one of the major forces for a rational American foreign policy. His story is an example of how politics can be practiced at its highest level for the common good.
CONGRESSMAN BARNEY FRANK
As a youngster, Steve Solarz knew he wanted to accomplish something worthwhile with his life and he was granted a Brooklyn size portion of chutzpah to give him the confidence to go for it. This book is a wonderful read, a lifes tale told with humor and candor. He takes you through his Congressional career, introducing you to the titans and common folk he encountered around the globe. His saga could only have happened in America.
DAVID STEINBERG
President, Long Island University and author of
The Philippines: A Singular and Plural Place
Journeys to War and Peace is many things: powerful, candid, humorous, and more. But most importantly, it is evidence of the profound positive contribution Congressional representatives can make to Americas engagement with the world. Steve Solarzs passionate and informed commitment to international affairs, detailed in this book, should be an inspiration to members of Congress and private citizens alike.
LEE H. HAMILTON
President and Director of the Woodrow Wilson
International Center for Scholars
Steve Solarz has written a classic account of congressional diplomacy, filled with the wit of a practical politician and the wisdom of one of the nations leading experts on American foreign policy. Political scientists and historians who teach about Congress, the Presidency, and foreign policy-making should assign this book to their students, who will discover that individual legislators can change the world for the better, that knowledge makes a huge difference in making policy, and that it is possible to be a both a realist and an idealist while trying to defend democracy at home and extend it to oppressed peoples around the world.
