For the American meteorologist, see Elliot Abrams (meteorologist).
Elliott Abrams (born January 24, 1948) is an American lawyer who has served in foreign policy positions for two Republican U.S. Presidents, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.
During Bush's first term in office, he was appointed the post of Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director on the National Security Council for Near East and North African Affairs. At the start of Bush's second term, Abrams was promoted to be his Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy, responsible for advancing Bush's strategy of advancing democracy abroad. Although Abrams is considered a leading neoconservative, his appointment by Bush was controversial due to his conviction in 1991 on two misdemeanor counts of unlawfully withholding information from Congress during the Iran-Contra Affair investigation.

Early years
During this time, Abrams clashed regularly with church groups and human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, over the Reagan administration's foreign policies. They accused him of covering up atrocities committed by the military forces of US-backed governments, such as those in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, and the rebel Contras in Nicaragua.

Central America
In early 1982, when reports of the El Mozote massacre of civilians by the military in El Salvador began appearing in U.S. media, Abrams told a Senate committee that the reports of hundreds of deaths at El Mozote "were not credible," and that "it appears to be an incident that is at least being significantly misused, at the very best, by the guerrillas."

El Salvador
When Congress shut down funding for the Contras' efforts to overthrow Nicaragua's Sandinista government with the 1982 Boland Amendment, the Reagan administration began looking for other avenues for funding the group.

Panama
During investigation of the Iran-Contra Affair, the special prosecutor handling the case prepared multiple felony counts against Abrams but never indicted him. He was fined $50, placed on probation for two years, and assigned 100 hours of community service. Abrams was later pardoned by President George W. Bush for his involvement in the affair.

Iran-Contra affair
He was one of the signatories of the 26 January 1998 PNAC letter sent to President Bill Clinton which called for regime-change in Iraq.

Neoconservative support
President George W. Bush appointed Abrams to the post of Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Democracy, Human Rights, and International Operations at the National Security Council on 25 June 2001.

Special Assistant to President Bush
The Observer has alleged that Abrams had advance knowledge of, and "gave a nod to", the Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002 against Hugo Chávez.

2002 Venezuelan coup
On 2 February 2005, President George W. Bush appointed Abrams Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy.
Abrams accompanied Condoleezza Rice as a primary advisor on her visits to the Middle East in late July 2006 in the course of discussions relating to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. [2]

Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy
According to Jim Lobe in an article he wrote for Asia Times, Abrams has been working systematically to undermine any prospect for serious negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Kathleen Christison wrote in anarticle called The Siren Song of Elliott Abrams - Thoughts on the Attempted Murder of Palestine in CounterPunch about Abrams work to bring down Hamas.

Blocking Israeli-Palestinian Peace Negotiations
According to an article written by Mark Perry and Alastair Crooke at www.conflictforum.com and reprinted in Asia Times,

Alleged support for attacking Hamas

Affiliation history

American Committee for Peace in Chechnya: Member
American Jewish Committee: Former member, National Advisory Council
Center for Security Policy: Former member, National Security Advisory Council
Committee for the Free World: Member of 1985 conference on Reagan-Gorbachev summit meeting in Geneva
Council on Foreign Relations: Member
Ethics and Public Policy Center: President, 1996–2002
Heritage Foundation: Alumnus of Heritage Foundation Resource Bank
Francisco Marroquin Foundation: Former chairman
Hudson Institute: Senior Fellow, 1990-96
Middle East Forum: Signatory of 2000 report urging military action against Syria
Nicaraguan Resistance Foundation: Former chairman
Project for the New American Century: Signatory of 1997 Statement of Principles and various other statements
Social Democrats, USA: Former member Institutional affiliations

National Review: Former contributing author
Policy Review: Former contributing author
Beliefnet: Columnist Editorial affiliations

National Security Council: Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy, 2005 to present
National Security Council: Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Near East and North African Affairs, 2002–05
National Security Council: Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Democracy, Human Rights, and International Operations, 2001–02
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom: Chairman, 2000-2001; Commissioner, 1999–2001
Inter-American Foundation: nominated as member of Board of Directors for the 1985–90 term
Department of State: Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, 1985-89
Department of State: Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, 1981–85
Department of State: Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, 1981
Sen. Daniel P. Moynihan: Chief of Staff, Special Counsel, 1977–79
Sen. Henry M. Jackson: Staffer/Special Counsel, 1975–76
Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations: Assistant Counsel, 1975 Government service

Verner, Lipfert, Bernhard and McPherson: Associate, 1979–81
Breed, Abbott and Morgan: Attorney, 1973–75 Corporate connections/business interests

Harvard University: B.A., 1969
London School of Economics: M.Sc., 1970
Harvard Law School: J.D., 1973 Books