“For too long, America tolerated a 'democratic exception' in the Muslim Middle East. As long as governments were friendly and backed regional stability, there was no need for outsiders to encourage representative government.”

American diplomat and foreign policy analyst

Richard N. Haass is an American diplomat and foreign policy analyst. He was president of the Council on Foreign Relations from 2003 to 2023, and before that served as director of policy planning at the U.S. Department of State. He was also a close adviser to Secretary of State Colin Powell in the George W. Bush administration. Haass has been known for his work on U.S. foreign policy and international affairs, especially in senior advisory and institutional leadership roles.