The Education of an Idealist

  deterioration post-Qaddafi, 309–311, 368

  NATO-Arab intervention in, 297–305, 307–311

  Obama on War Powers Resolution and, 374–375

  overthrow of Qaddafi, 309

  Qaddafi’s forces advance on Benghazi, 295–296, 297–302

  repression in, 289–290

  revolution in, 289–292, 293–296, 307–308

  Limbaugh, Rush, 305

  Lippert, Mark, 149, 151, 154–155, 203, 206, 212–213, 219–220, 235, 267

  Liu Jieyi, 520

  Lodge, Henry Cabot, Jr., 409

  Loher Church, 196

  Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), 274–275, 276

  Lugar, Richard, 152

  Makachi, Fanta, 483

  Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, 417, 418, 418n

  Maltz, Gideon, 478–480, 485

  Martinez, Pedro, 124

  Maynes, Charles William, 65, 66

  McAuliffe, Terry, 188–189, 448

  McCain, John, 183, 330, 382, 505–506

  McConnell, Mitch, 535

  McCourt, Frank, 74–75

  McCurry, Michael, 118–119

  McDonough, Denis

  as chief-of-staff to Obama, 380, 496

  as foreign policy adviser to Obama, 221, 222, 237–238, 255, 262, 267, 273

  on SP’s Scotsman interview, 181–182, 184, 186

  Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders), 440–441, 447, 452, 454

  Medvedev, Dmitry, 304, 304n, 404

  Memphis sanitation workers’ strike (1968), 41–42

  Mendelson, Sarah, 351n

  Merkel, Angela, 498

  Metternich, Klemens von, 385

  Milošević, Slobodan, 54–55, 54n, 112, 369, 428

  Minah, Vandi, 439

  Minow, Martha, 169

  Mitchell, Andrea, 420

  Mizrahi, Alberto, 244

  MKULTRA program (CIA program), 337

  Mladić, Ratko, 99, 100–101, 108–109, 110, 111, 270–272, 272n, 275

  Mohammed, Amina Abaker, 137–139

  Mohammed, Khalid Sheikh, 96

  “monster” controversy, 181–191, 192–195, 197, 332

  Moore, Jonathan, 58, 59, 103, 115, 124, 129, 202, 350, 514, 516

  Morgenthau, Henry, Sr., 127–128, 235

  Morse, Arthur, 119

  Mount Anville, 9, 27, 181

  Mubarak, Gamal, 287–288

  Mubarak, Hosni, 287, 289, 290, 307

  Mugabe, Robert, 280, 280n, 462

  Mulligan, Ma, 192

  Murad, Nadia, 522, 522n

  Mustafa, Nujeen and Nisreen, 494–495

  Nahas, Subhi, 523, 524

  National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on mass atrocities, 268–269

  National Public Radio (NPR), 73, 76–77, 106, 480

  National Security Archive, 48, 127–128

  National Security Council (NSC). See also Power, Samantha, as NSC Senior Director

  early struggles at, 220–223, 229–230, 247–249

  functioning of, 215–220

  introduction to, 213–215, 215–220

  Senior Directors at, 215–216, 219–220

  women working on, 252–254

  NATO, 78, 106, 107, 234, 236, 290, 304, 308, 368

  naturalization ceremonies, 73–74, 490–492

  Netanyahu, Benjamin, 376

  “never again,” 110, 120, 121–122, 127, 131

  The New Republic, 85, 129, 325, 334, 339

  New York City Marathon, 115–116

  New York Daily News, 187, 188

  New York magazine, 187

  New York Review of Books, 105

  New York Times, 43, 53, 59, 91, 93, 109, 123, 133, 135, 140, 168, 188, 193, 211, 265, 274, 305, 500

  The New Yorker, 120–121, 133, 140, 511

  Newman, Ronnie, 498

  Niamah, Jackson, 440–441, 452, 522

  Niebuhr, Reinhold, 120, 262, 263, 551

  Nigeria, 471, 472–474, 485–487, 487–488

  Night (Wiesel), 119

  Nixon, Richard and administration, 58, 548

  North Korea

  #Freethe20 campaign and, 519n

  human rights abuses in, 222n, 528–529

  NATO-Arab intervention in Libya, 299n

  nuclear program, 220, 528

  Nudge (Sunstein), 171, 231

  Nunn, Sam, 152

  Obama, Barack

  as candidate for President

  2007–2008 presidential campaign, 167–168, 171–176, 179–180, 183, 186, 189–190, 192–195, 198

  decision to run and, 166–167

  Iowa caucus and, 174–176, 179–180

  presidential election night results of, 200–201

  SP resignation from campaign of, 189–190

  views of engagement with adversaries, 172–173

  Dreams from My Father, 145–146

  relationship with SP, 152–153, 165–168, 176, 178–179, 189–190, 193–194, 196, 241–242, 247–249, 262–265, 283–284, 320–324, 420–421, 485, 507–509

  as US president

  Armenian genocide recognition, 237–239, 241–244

  atrocity prevention efforts, 266–282, 297, 299–305, 307–309, 365–367, 369–370, 375, 511–512

  Ban Ki-moon meeting with, 225–227

  Burma visit by, 314, 317, 318–320

  Darfur, Sudan and, 225–227

  early accomplishments, 248–249

  Ebola epidemic and, 436–438, 445, 452–454, 456

  engagement with repressive governments and, 208, 249–250, 284–288, 313–314, 316n, 463, 529–530

  Iran nuclear deal and, 299, 299n, 426, 456, 529–530, 537, 550

  LGBT rights and, 276–281, 281n, 282

  Libya decision-making and, 296–302, 304–305, 308, 310–311, 310n

  Nobel Peace Prize and, 261–265

  policies toward refugees and, 256–257, 260–261, 261n, 281, 493–499

  presidential administration and decisions, 215–216, 221–222, 230, 237, 267–269, 281–282, 283–284, 320–321, 404, 428

  South Sudan and, 273–274, 282

  Syria decision-making and, 360–371, 374–377, 380–390, 506–514

  Syrian refugee response, 494, 495–497, 497n, 498–499

  as US senator

  Armenian genocide letter to Secretary of State Rice and, 235

  Darfur, Sudan and, 162, 163–165, 228

  Democratic National Convention speech (2004) by, 143, 152

  disappointment with Senate productivity of, 151, 152, 153, 154, 166

  on Iraq War, 153–154

  life changes, 147, 152–153

  on media attention, 147–148

  SP’s first meeting with, 144–150

  Obama, Michelle, 147, 167, 201, 219, 322, 324

  Odhiambo, Okot, 275

  Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), 204, 214, 230

  Office of Presidential Correspondence, 230, 500–501

  Olympics

  in Beijing (2004), 162

  in Sarajevo (1984), 55, 88

  in Sochi (2014), 422

  Ongwen, Dominic, 275

  Open Government Partnership (OGP), 285, 285n

  Orbán, Viktor, 432n

  Organization of American States, 281

  Organization of Islamic Cooperation, 291, 422

  Ouattara, Alassane, 274

  Oval Office, 163, 224–225, 227, 253, 262–263, 283–284, 326, 452

  Oxman, Steve, 91

  Palin, Sarah, 265

  Paris Agreement on climate change (2015), 401, 530–531, 531n, 542, 550

  Parsons, Christi, 238

  “Patient Zero,” 443

  Payá, Oswaldo, 356–358

  Peev, Gerri, 184–185, 189

  Pelosi, Nancy, 163

  Pelton, Erin, 352–353

  Peretz, Marty, 129–130

  Peters, Ralph, 420

  Pham, Nina, 444, 452

  Pillay, Navi, 294

  Pirro, Jeanine, 444

 
; Pitter, Laura, 68, 71, 76–77, 83–84, 109, 163, 339, 430, 459, 499

  Pittsburgh, 16–23, 28, 217

  Pittsburgh Pirates, 19, 21, 22, 27, 28, 96, 124, 464

  Plouffe, David, 171, 174, 175, 199–200

  political prisoners, 289, 314, 318, 351, 400, 432, 515–516, 518–522, 519n, 538, 550

  Politico, 228–229

  Pomper, Steve, 498

  Pope, Amy, 498

  Powell, Colin, 142, 409

  Power, James “Bam Bam,” 8–9, 32, 52, 71

  Power, Jim

  courtship of Vera Delaney and, 4–6

  Crown’s Irish Independent essay on, 193–194

  custody battles, 3, 14, 24–25, 27

  death of, 28–30

  drinking and, 6–7, 9–11, 14, 25–26, 27, 28, 29, 38, 159, 161

  education and career of, 4–6, 8

  Hartigan’s and, 6–7, 9, 10–11, 12, 13, 25, 29, 31, 181, 192, 193, 414

  marital discord and, 5, 11–12, 13–15

  not visiting America, 27–28, 32

  relationship with SP, 7–11, 13, 31, 32, 192

  SP’s last days with, 24–27

  Susan Doody and, 13, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31

  Power, Samantha

  after UN, 543–552

  Carnegie Endowment internship, 50–61, 69–70, 71, 150, 466, 516

  early career of

  Balkans trip (1993), 65–70

  Bosnian war and, 56–61, 62–63

  first U.S. News story, 65–67, 70–71

  Kirkpatrick and, 52–53

  press credentials for Balkans trip, 63–65

  US foreign policy as early interest, 48–49

  European tour with John “Schu” Schumann (1990), 44–47, 54

  father’s death and, 24–32, 126, 161, 167, 192, 193–194, 488

  as foreign policy aide to Sen. Obama, 150–156, 162–166, 235, 237

  as intern at National Security Archive, 48

  as Lakeside High School student, 33–39

  as law student, 107–111, 115–116, 118–122, 122–123

  as mother, 247–248, 250–251, 312–313, 318–319, 321, 325, 387, 411, 414, 458–464, 479–485, 487, 488–489 See also Power, Declan; Power, Rían

  nomination to be UN ambassador

  political commentary on, 328–329

  preparation for confirmation hearings, 331–334, 337–338

  Obama’s offer for, 323–324

  Rose Garden ceremony and, 325–327

  Senate confirmation hearing after, 338–340

  SP’s concerns about confirmation for, 323–325

  as NSC Senior Director

  on Armenian genocide recognition, 237–244

  atrocity prevention agenda, 266–282

  Burma visits and, 313–320

  concerns over journalist background and, 228–229

  Director for War Crimes and Atrocities and, 267–269

  Donilon advice, 283

  finding the Oval Office, 224

  Iraq trip, 256–261

  learning the ropes, 213–223, 224, 229–230, 247–249, 251–253, 255–256

  LGBT advocacy and, 276–281

  Libya crisis and, 289–292, 293–296, 297–305, 308–311

  maternity leave, 247–251, 312–313

  Middle East policy reform efforts, 284–288

  new friends during, 251–253

  Obama’s Nobel address and, 261–265

  setting priorities in, 255–256

  travel and, 229–230

  working in national security as a woman, 205, 212, 253–254, 254n

  Obama administration and

  identifying a role in, 202–206

  moving to Washington for, 201, 208

  paperwork and clearances for, 206–207

  Obama presidential campaign and

  Iowa caucus and, 176, 179–180

  “monster” controversy and, 181–191, 192–195, 197

  Obama’s election and, 200

  resignation from, 189–190

  Sunstein support for, 186–188, 191–192

  opposition to Iraq War by, 133–134

  parents and early childhood of, 3–32

  pregnancy, 199, 205, 212, 215, 224, 292–293, 312–313

  as US Ambassador to UN

  on Afghan women breaking barriers, 469–470

  calls for resignation of, 503–506

  CAR peacekeepers and humanitarian aid and, 393–394

  Center for American Progress speech and, 380–382

  Churkin negotiations and interactions with, 383–387, 404–408, 410–411, 426–428, 541

  courtesy calls to ambassadors, 394–402

  Ebola epidemic and, 435–443, 446–449, 450–457

  election night party (2016), 532–535

  elections (2016) and staff of, 536–538

  entering UN Headquarters as, 348–349

  #Freethe20 campaign and, 518–522, 519n

  General Assembly resolution on Crimean referendum and, 415–417

  impact and treatment of gender, 464–470

  last hours, 541–542

  LGBT advocacy and, 351, 407, 421–426, 430, 522–525, 526–527, 537

  lobbying Congress on Syrian strike, 380

  María’s naturalization ceremony and, 490–492

  media training, 352–353

  North Korea’s nuclear program and human rights abuses, 528–529

  presenting evidence of Syria’s chemical weapon use, 377–379

  red line for Assad regime and aftermath, ix–x, 359–360, 361–390, 512–514

  refugee programs and, 493–499

  Security Council resolution on Srebrenica genocide and, 428–431

  security detail for, ix–x, 345, 460–461

  on shrinking the change, 517

  team as, 349–351, 351n

  Steinberg as speechwriter for, 412–414

  swearing-in ceremony, 341–342

  on Syria and Russia’s siege of Aleppo, 539–541

  Syrian civil war, 359–361, 499–500, 502–516, 539–540

  travel to Ebola-affected African countries, 450–454, 450n

  US–Russia showdown and, 403–404

  voting on new members for Human Rights Council, 431–433, 432n

  Waldorf as official residence of, 342–345

  on Yazidi support, 511

  US citizenship and, 73–74, 491

  as war correspondent

  in Balkans, 65–68, 70–71, 76–77, 79–82, 83–86, 88–92, 93–101

  cease-fire in central Bosnia and, 83–84

  conflicted feelings about, 94–97

  crossing Mount Igman with R. Cohen, 93–94

  Cuny and, 77, 103–106

  experience as female journalist, 79–82

  Holbrooke’s job offer and, 98–99, 103

  loss of fear and close calls for, 96–97

  Rohde’s abduction and, 111–114

  searching for exit strategy from, 97–98

  wedding of Sunstein and, 196–197

  writing “A Problem from Hell,” 122–124, 127–130

  Power, Declan Sunstein, ix, 199, 246, 248, 249, 250–251, 252, 258–259, 309, 313, 321, 325–326, 335–336, 339, 343, 352, 371, 385–386, 411, 414, 446–447, 449, 457–464, 474–475, 488, 492, 499–501, 531–532, 534–536, 542, 543, 545, 547

  Power, Rían Sunstein, ix, 312–313, 321–322, 325–326, 336, 339, 359–360, 371, 387, 458–460, 461–462, 464, 474, 475, 488, 492, 499, 531–532, 534, 542, 543, 545, 547

  Power, Stephen, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 24–26, 31, 32, 36, 38–39, 52, 97, 158, 177, 197, 439, 491, 546

  Prendergast, John, 135–137, 138–142, 157, 159–160, 161–163, 178, 186, 202, 228–229, 252, 339, 459–460, 546

  Presidential Memorandum on International Initiatives to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons, 280–281

  Pressman, David, 267–269, 271, 272, 276, 278, 280, 331–332, 351n, 423, 426, 524

  Pric
e, Preston, 37

  “A Problem from Hell”: America and the Age of Genocide (Power)

  arguments in, xi, 127–128, 133, 135, 234, 266

  on Armenian genocide, 234, 236

  engagement with readers, 131–132, 396

  genesis of, 118–122

  on Hirschman, 226

  misinterpretations of, 134

  National Security Archive cables cited in, 127–129

  Peretz and New Republic Books publishes, 129–130

  publication of, 130

  publisher rejections and, 128–130

  real-world events expanding audience for, 132–134, 135, 140–143

  reception for, 131–132, 134–135

  upstanders described in, 127–128, 131–132

  use of declassified cables in, 127–128

  writing of, 122–124, 127–130

  Proxmire, William, 128, 131–132

  Psaki, Jen, 366

  Public Theater, New York, 407, 465

  Pulse attack (Orlando, Fl), 524

  Putin, Vladimir. See also Churkin, Vitaly; Lavrov, Sergey; Medvedev, Dmitry; Russia

  antagonism toward US, 404, 538

  on Assad regime’s chemical weapons, 378, 382–383

  Churkin’s stance toward, 406

  demonizing “enemies,” 421–422

  international approval ratings of, 548

  motives on Syria chemical weapons dismantlement and, 388–389

  Obama on Syria’s chemical weapons program and, 382–383

  opposing US military force against Syria, 377–378

  opposition to LGBT rights and, 421–422, 430

  on Security Council resolution on military action in Libya, 304

  on Ukraine conflict, 411

  Qaddafi, Muammar, 289–292, 295–310, 368, 378, 507

  Qaddafi, Seif al-Islam, 290

  Qatar, 304, 368

  Qureshi, Rabia, 440

  Rakić, Miki, 272

  Random House, 122, 128–129

  Rapp, Stephen, 270–271

  Rauhut, Mike, 492–493

  Razzouk, Kelly, 422–423, 425, 492, 519–520, 521–522

  Reagan, Ronald and administration, 52–53, 58, 350, 465–466

  Refugee Act (1980), 496

  Refugee Youth Summer Academy, 351–352

  refugees. See also immigrants in the US

  Iraqi, 257, 260–261

  Kurdi, Alan, 493–494

  as result of climate change, 401–402

  as scapegoats for demagogues, 513

  SP on specific stories of, 494–495

  Syrian, 495–497, 513

  Al-Teibawi family, 499–500

  Trump halting admissions of, IRAP and, 546

  in the US, SP on highlighting impact of, 351–352

  worldwide statistics on, 493–494

  Remnick, David, 511

  Republican Party

  concerns about being seen with UN ambassador within, 535

  criticisms of Cass, 231

  Ebola and travel ban and, 445, 445n, 452–454, 456