The Role of U.S. military assistance in U.S. foreign policy: A conversation with Josh Paul, former Director in the Bureau of Political and Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State

U.S. military assistance to foreign governments has long been a tool to advance U.S. global priorities. The war in Ukraine and Israel’s invasion of Gaza have propelled U.S. security assistance into a sometimes uncomfortable spotlight. Join the World Affairs Council for a conversation with former State Department official Josh Paul, who for eleven years oversaw arms transfers and military assistance on behalf of the U.S. government. Josh will discuss the role of U.S. military assistance in enhancing security and the dilemmas of arming governments whose values and actions may not align with those of the United States. 

About the Speaker

Josh Paul spent more than 11 years working as a Director in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which is responsible for U.S. defense diplomacy, security assistance, and arms transfers. He previously worked on security sector reform in both Iraq and the West Bank, with additional roles in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Army Staff, and as a Congressional staffer for Representative Steve Israel (D-NY). Paul grew up between London and New York, and holds master's degrees from Georgetown University and the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

About the Moderator

Heather Yang Hwalek is a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She supports the President for Global Policy & Advocacy. Before joining the foundation, Heather served as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. She served in the Office of the Secretary of State, at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China, at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, and in additional roles in Washington, DC. Heather is an alumna of the Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship.