Princeton Project will hopefully inspire ideas
Regarding 'Dean lays out foreign policy vision' (Friday, Dec. 15, 2006):
I was pleased to read this fine Daily Princetonian article, which detailed a talk I gave on campus last week highlighting the key findings of the Princeton Project on National Security (which I co-direct). I write to correct only one point, lest your readers be left with a misimpression about the response that the Princeton Project has received in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere.
The Princeton Project has gotten a warm reception by high-level officials we've briefed in the State Department, Pentagon, White House, Central Intelligence Agency and Office of the Director of National Intelligence, as well as by legislators and their staffs on Capitol Hill. The responses have been very positive in terms of the substance of the Princeton Project's key recommendations, and we've had many requests for follow-up briefings. To clarify a point reported in the 'Prince' article, many of those in the policy community who are most enthusiastic about the report's findings nevertheless lament the difficulty of selling complexity against simplicity, e.g. the Princeton Project's overarching finding that "we face a range of threats and must prepare for them all" versus the more sound-bite friendly "Islamo-fascism is the successor to communism and nazism," heard elsewhere in the national security complex.
Media responses to the Project's final report, "Forging a World of Liberty under Law," have also been very encouraging. Jackson Diehl wrote a wonderful column about it in the Washington Post earlier this month, and we saw another very favorable mention on the Post's oped page by Dan Drezner. Equally gratifying is the reaction overseas — we have been written up in China, India, Lebanon and Britain and have received requests for briefings from several prominent embassies in Washington. We have more to come: after rolling out the project to policy makers and academics in Berlin at the end of October, we have a week's worth of activities around the report planned for Beijing and Shanghai in January.
In foreign policy, the availability of good ideas at the time when policymakers need them is far more important than their source. Professor John Ikenberry and I hope that Princeton Project will inject a number of ideas into contemporary policy debates, regardless of how well they sell on the campaign trail. I am grateful to Whig Clio and to the 'Prince' for giving us a chance to publicize those ideas here on campus. Anne-Marie Slaughter '80 Dean, Woodrow Wilson School
DuPraz will be dearly missed by everyone
Regarding 'Legendary 'Prince' adviser DuPraz dies at 87' (Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006):
To everyone who got to know Larry DuPraz, we were the lucky ones. He was a champion of quality and personified dedication. He was officially retired by the time I started working on The Daily Princetonian, but he still taught me more about persistence, attention to detail and integrity than any of my professors.
He continued to fact-check every article, review every layout and read every headline during the three years I worked at the 'Prince.' If you made a mistake, he would call you on it, regardless of whether it was burying the lede, using passive tense in a headline, or not scooping the local papers — he would catch it all. If he liked your latest article, he would also let you know exactly what parts and why.
His persistence, attention to detail and integrity spilled over from the paper to its staff. College was a tough time for many of us, but Larry made sure we all felt welcome, noticed and appreciated. He knew each one of us, even if he pretended he didn't. He encouraged us so we learned more, worked harder and did better every issue.
I still remember one of my first articles on the fireman's parade, and Larry's praise for getting Frank Field's title correct, when all the other local papers had it wrong.
I hadn't seen or talked with Larry in almost 15 years, but when I called him last week, it was like being back at 48 University Place. He knew exactly who I was, and even from his hospital bed he was able to make me feel special by telling me I made his day. Well, he made my day — many days.
My deep condolences to "Mrs. Larry," Claudia, his grandsons and everyone who worked with him on the 'Prince.' And especially to everyone who did not have the same opportunity to get to know him and benefit from his mentorship. We will miss him dearly. Ellen Pao '91
Thank you for remembering DuPraz
Regarding 'Legendary 'Prince' adviser DuPraz dies at 87' (Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006):
I am the nephew of Uncle Larry DuPraz. One time when I was 12 years old I made the mistake of calling him Larry. I am now 65 and before his death I still called him Uncle Larry. I live in Cincinnati, Ohio, and received the link to the paper from my cousin who lives in Robbinsville, N.J. I can appreciate the personality of Uncle Larry. Thanks for the article.
John King
Good job showing DuPraz's importance
Regarding 'Legendary 'Prince' adviser DuPraz dies at 87' (Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006):
Nice job on Larry DuPraz's obit when classes were out of session. I imagine he was probably not as big a part of your time at The Daily Princetonian as he was for earlier generations, but I thought you guys captured his importance pretty well.
Leo Balestri '93
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