Life After Public Service
There was some media speculation that President Bush would appoint him to a key security position such as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Director of National Intelligence or Defense Secretary. As of the start of July 2007, Armitage had not re-entered public service. On May 10, 2006, he was elected to the board of directors of the ConocoPhillips oil company.
In October 2006, Armitage lobbied – on behalf of the L-3 Communications Corporation, a company providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance products – some key people in Taiwanese political circles regarding the possible sale of P-3C marine patrol aircraft to the ROC military. Those who received his personal letter included Premier Su Tseng-chang, President of the Legislative Yuan Wang Jin-pyng, and opposition People First Party leader James Soong.
Armitage stated in the letter that he wished the Taiwan government would reconsider the purchase from Lockheed Martin, the dealer the United States government had designated. Instead, he hoped that the right to negotiate the purchase should be made through an open and fair bidding process. The letter was made public by PFP Legislators on October 24, 2006 in a Legislative Yuan session discussing the military purchases.
Since January 1, 2010, Armitage has been a Member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the American-Turkish Council, a Washington based, corporate membership NGO dedicated to the promotion of the strongest possible business, military and foreign policy relationship between Turkey and the United States.
On 1 July 2010, Armitage was appointed an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia, Australia's "for eminent service to strengthening the Australia-United States bilateral relationship". He was invested with the award at a ceremony at the Australian Ambassador's residence on October 13, 2010.
Read more about this topic: Richard Armitage (politician)
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