Richard N. Perle Seminars: Invest in War

Report: Pentagon consultant using connections for private investing

Pentagon adviser Richard N. Perle briefed an investment seminar on ways to profit from the conflict in Iraq and North Korea just weeks after he received a top-secret government briefing on the crises in the two countries, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Perle, who until March was chairman of the Defense Policy Board, a group of outside advisers to the Pentagon, also serves on the board of several defense contractors.

One of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's closest advisers, he was a vocal advocate of going to war against Iraq and publicly questioned the reliability of some longtime U.S. allies, including France and Saudi Arabia.

He resigned as chairman of the Defense Policy Board on March 27 after it was reported he had worked as a consultant to bankrupt telecommunications company Global Crossing Ltd., which was trying to get Pentagon approval to be sold to Asian investors.

In offering his resignation, Perle said he didn't want questions about his outside interests to be a distraction to Rumsfeld. He remained a member of the board.

Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, has asked the Pentagon's inspector general to investigate Perle's business activities and any conflicts they might pose for his membership.

The Defense Intelligence Agency briefing Perle attended took place in February, the Times reported on its Web site Tuesday, and he held his seminar three weeks later. Also in February, according to the Times, which cited agendas of the meetings and other documents, Perle and fellow advisers received a classified address about military communications systems. Perle runs Trireme Partners, a venture capital firm that has been exploring such high-tech investments.

Perle did not return phone calls or e-mails from the newspaper seeking comment.

When he resigned his chairmanship of the Defense Policy Board, he denied any wrongdoing.

"The guiding principle here is that you do not give advice in the Defense Policy Board on any particular matter in which you have an interest," he said. "And I don't do that. I haven't done that."




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