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Home » About Norwich » SGS Today »
Lt. Col. Andrew Morgado stands with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani [photo courtesy of Andrew Morgado].
Diplomacy student drew on experience working with future president of Iraq
by Daphne Larkin, staff
© Dec. 5, 2008 Norwich University Office of Communications
Before Lt. Col. Andrew Morgado studied international relations, he practiced it as liaison officer to a top Iraqi official during his first tour of duty in Iraq in 2003 and 2004.
When Morgado entered Norwich University's online Master of Arts in Diplomacy (MDY) program in August 2004, he brought first-hand experience from his work as political liaison between Jalal Talabani, a Kurdish leader who later became Iraq's president, and Gen. Raymond Odierno, the commander of the 4th Infantry Division.
Odierno forged the arrangement to aid the U.S. military's work with the Kurds in Iraq.
At the time Talabani was a member of the Iraqi Governing Council representing the Kurds, a group of non-Arab Sunnis that inhabit the northern third of Iraq, make up about 17 percent of the Iraqi population and support the U.S. invasion.
"[Gen. Odierno] felt there should be a direct link between Mr. Talabani and the 4th Infantry Division, and soon thereafter the 101st appointed one as well," said Morgado (MDY '06). "I was a personal conduit of information between Gen. Odierno and Mr. Talabani, and wherever [Talabani] went, I went."
Morgado's mandate was broad, and he defined his job as he discovered what was needed.
Carrying three telephones at all times, Morgado said much of his work pertained to access, verifying individuals' credentials and authorization to carry weapons. Morgado also answered questions about operations and paved the way for Talabani's movement through U.S. military checkpoints.
"Every Iraqi knew who Jalal Talabani was, but U.S. forces didn't," Morgado said. "I would pre-coordinate routes to travel to make sure the U.S. forces were aware — to make sure he wasn't harassed."
Morgado also arranged air time for Odierno on Kurdish television through Talabani's office and facilitated access for the 4th Infantry Division to procure supplies locally.
Morgado, now 36 and a lieutenant colonel who recently assumed command of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Mohawk Battalion at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y., said he encountered the "typical" sort of danger during his first tour, but that moving throughout the region with Talabani was about as safe as it got.
"[Talabani] travelled with a very robust security force," Morgado said. "With the Kurds, I felt a lot safer than when I was travelling with an American [group]."
The Kurds told Morgado many times that it would be "a personal affront" if anything happened to him.
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“[MDY] helped me understand things more in context, to see how the entire system worked or didn't work.” |
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Morgado worked with Talabani for four months during his first tour of duty in Iraq — an experience which "absolutely influenced" his decision to enter the MDY program.
"I got to see international relations in a lot of different ways in action," Morgado said. "In every [MDY] seminar I would certainly rely on that experience."
In one seminar Morgado wrote a paper on the Kurdish problem in Iraq, and he focused on the Kurds for other assignments pertaining to possible conflict resolutions. Morgado said the program delivered the academic understanding to work he had done firsthand.
"[MDY] helped me understand things more in context, to see how the entire system worked or didn't work," he said.
"The thing I liked best about the class was the amount of writing," Morgado said. "It really helped me in my writing ability, and reading the different perspectives of my cohort group brought a broad perspective to the classroom."
For the final year of MDY, Morgado was also a graduate student in the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., where he was stationed after returning from his first tour.
"I was one busy student for the final year."
Morgado said the programs complemented each other well, as SAMS was an intensive program for military planning and MDY informed and gave background to the planning.
"I knew I needed a master's degree to pursue professional and personal development," Morgado said. "It had always been a dream of mine."
Morgado has since completed his second tour of duty in Iraq with the 1st Cavalry Division. Gen. Odierno was recently appointed the top U.S. commander in Iraq, the post formerly held by Gen. David Petraeus.
In his current position at Siena College, Morgado said the MDY program has made him a better leader.
"The Diplomacy program has certainly helped me in my current position," Morgado said. "It has provided me a deep base of knowledge of international affairs and enables me to effectively engage and educate our future Army officers and expand their understanding of the international system."
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