Karl Eikenberry

{{short description|United States general and former ambassador to Afghanistan}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Karl Eikenberry | image = Lt Gen Karl Eikenberry.jpg | office = 18th [[United States Ambassador to Afghanistan]] | president = [[Barack Obama]] | term_start = May 21, 2009 | term_end = July 19, 2011 | predecessor = [[William Braucher Wood]] | successor = [[Ryan Crocker]] | birth_name = Karl Winfrid Eikenberry | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|11|10}} | birth_place = [[Hammond, Indiana]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = Ching Eikenberry | education = [[United States Military Academy]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br />[[Harvard University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])<br />[[Stanford University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]]) | allegiance = {{flag|United States}} | branch = {{army|USA}} | service_years = 1974–2009<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://news.stanford.edu/expert/karl-eikenberry/ |title=Karl Eikenberry | Stanford News |access-date=March 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328020208/https://news.stanford.edu/expert/karl-eikenberry/ |archive-date=March 28, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> | rank = [[File:US-O9 insignia.svg|24px]] [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]] | battles = [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]] }} '''Karl Winfrid Eikenberry''' (born November 10, 1951)<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=U.S. National Security: A Reference Handbook|author=Watson, C.A.|date=2008|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-041-4|url=https://archive.org/details/usnationalsecuri0000wats|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/usnationalsecuri0000wats/page/142 142]|access-date=2015-04-10}}</ref> is an American diplomat and retired [[United States Army]] [[Lieutenant General (United States)|lieutenant general]] who served as the [[United States Ambassador to Afghanistan|U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan]] from April 2009 to July 2011. From 2011 to 2019, he was the director of the U.S. Asia Security Initiative at the [[Asia–Pacific Research Center|Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center]] and a Stanford University professor of the practice; a member of the core faculty at the [[Center for International Security and Cooperation]]; and an affiliated faculty member at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, and the Europe Center.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fsi.stanford.edu/people/karl_eikenberry|title=Freeman Spogli Institute|access-date=2014-09-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618060225/http://fsi.stanford.edu/people/karl_eikenberry|archive-date=2012-06-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://profiles.stanford.edu/karl-eikenberry |title=Karl Eikenberry's Profile | Stanford Profiles |access-date=2016-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416230034/https://profiles.stanford.edu/karl-eikenberry |archive-date=2016-04-16 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Eikenberry is a fellow of the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]] where he co-directs the academy's multiyear project on civil wars, violence, and international responses, and a member of the academy's Committee of International Security Studies. He serves on the board of the [[The Asia Foundation|Asia Foundation]], American Councils for International Education, the [[Asia Society]] of Northern California, Academic Exchange, and the [[National Committee on American Foreign Policy]]. He is a faculty member of [[Schwarzman College]], [[Tsinghua University]] in Beijing,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schwarzmanscholars.org/faculty-profile/karl-eikenberry/|title=Schwarzman Scholars|website=Schwarzman Scholars|access-date=2019-11-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115013059/https://www.schwarzmanscholars.org/faculty-profile/karl-eikenberry/|archive-date=2019-11-15|url-status=live}}</ref> and a member of the Working Group on Science and Technology and U.S.-China Relations organized by the UC San Diego 21st Century China Center and the Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations. Additionally, Eikenberry is a member of the [[Council on Foreign Relations]], the [[American Academy of Diplomacy]], and the [[International Institute for Strategic Studies]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Task Force on U.S.-China Policy |url=https://asiasociety.org/center-us-china-relations/task-force-us-china-policy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240108205426/https://asiasociety.org/center-us-china-relations/task-force-us-china-policy |archive-date=January 8, 2024 |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=Asia Society}}</ref> [[File:Defense.gov News Photo 030501-D-2987S-005.jpg|thumb|Eikenberry with Secretary of Defense [[Donald Rumsfeld]] at Afghan Army training center in May 2003.]]

==Early life and education== Eikenberry was born in 1951 in Hammond, Indiana and graduated from [[Goldsboro High School]] in [[Goldsboro, North Carolina]], in 1969.<ref>{{cite news |first=Greg |last=Sousa |title=Hometown general visits |url=http://www.newsargus.com/news/archives/2007/08/22/hometown_general_visits/ |publisher=Goldsboro News-Argus |format=Paid subscription required |date=2007-08-22 |access-date=2010-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714175451/http://www.newsargus.com/news/archives/2007/08/22/hometown_general_visits/ |archive-date=2011-07-14 |url-status=live}}</ref> He then attended the [[United States Military Academy]] at West Point, where he was [[officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] as a [[Second Lieutenant|second lieutenant]] upon graduation in 1973.<ref>{{cite web |title=Karl Eikenberry |publisher=Classmates |url=http://www.classmates.com/directory/public/memberprofile/list.htm?regId=433448501 |access-date=2009-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405214115/http://www.classmates.com/directory/public/memberprofile/list.htm?regId=433448501 |archive-date=2009-04-05 |url-status=live}}</ref>

He received an [[Master of Arts|MA]] in East Asian Studies from [[Harvard University]], where he would later return as a national security fellow at the [[John F. Kennedy School of Government]]. He also earned an MA in [[political science]] from [[Stanford University]].<ref>https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/who_is_who_139939.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221100038/https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/who_is_who_139939.htm |date=2018-02-21}}, ''Deputy Chairmen of the NATO Military Committee'', Jan 10, 2017, retrieved Feb 20, 2018.</ref> In addition, Eikenberry has studied in [[Hong Kong]] at the [[United Kingdom|UK]] [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] Chinese Language School, earning the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office|British Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]'s interpreter's certificate for [[Mandarin Chinese]], and at [[Nanjing University]], earning an advanced degree in [[Chinese History|Chinese history]].<ref name="NATO">{{cite web |title=Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee: Lt. Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry |url=http://www.nato.int/cv/dmilcom/eikenberry.html |publisher=NATO |access-date=2010-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117165145/http://www.nato.int/cv/dmilcom/eikenberry.html |archive-date=2010-01-17 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Military career== [[File:Defense.gov News Photo 051208-D-9880W-009.jpg|left|thumb|Eikenberry during a press conference at the Pentagon on December 8, 2005.]] In the Army, Eikenberry commanded and held staff positions in airborne, [[United States Army Rangers|ranger]], and mechanized infantry units in the United States, Korea, and Europe. He also served as assistant army attaché and later as the [[Military attaché|defense attaché]] at the [[Embassy of the United States, Beijing|United States embassy in Beijing, People's Republic of China]]. His other political-military assignments included senior country director for China and Taiwan in the Office of Secretary of Defense, Foreign Area Officer Division Chief and deputy director of the [[United States Joint Forces Command Strategy and Policy Directorate|Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate]] on the Army Staff,<ref name="About the Author">{{cite web|title=About the Author |url=http://www.ndu.edu/inss/McNair/mcnair36/36abou.html |publisher=Institute for National Strategic Studies |access-date=2009-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110052603/http://www.ndu.edu/inss/McNair/mcnair36/36abou.html |archive-date=January 10, 2009}}</ref> and Director of Strategic Planning and Policy Directorate, United States Pacific Command, [[Camp H. M. Smith|Camp Smith]], Hawaii. Eikenberry served two tours of duty in the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|war]] in [[Afghanistan]].<ref name="NYT">{{cite news |first=Eric |last=Schmitt |title=Obama Taps a General as the Envoy to Kabul |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/washington/30diplo.html?scp=1&sq=Karl%20Eikenberry%20&st=cse |work=The New York Times |date=2009-01-29 |access-date=2010-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409022124/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/washington/30diplo.html?scp=1&sq=Karl%20Eikenberry%20&st=cse |archive-date=2015-04-09 |url-status=live}}</ref>

His first tour in Afghanistan, from September 2002 to September 2003, he filled two positions—his primary duty was as the U.S. security coordinator for Afghanistan and the second position was the chief of the [[Office of Military Cooperation]]-Afghanistan (OMC-A). As the security coordinator, he worked closely with special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Pakistan [[Lakhdar Brahimi]] to forge a unified international effort to build a cohesive security sector. [[Security sector reform]] (SSR) followed a lead-nation approach agreed upon in January 2002, in which the [[G8]] nations would each lead a specific sector—the United States was responsible for the [[Afghan National Army]]; Germany, the Afghan Police; UK, counter-narcotics; Italy, judicial reform; and Japan and the United Nations took on the task of disarming, demobilizing, and reintegrating the militias.<ref name=ictj>{{cite web|title=Security Sector Reform in Afghanistan|url=http://ictj.org/sites/default/files/ICTJ-Afghanistan-Security-Reform-2009-English.pdf|work=IFP Security Cluster Case Study|publisher=International Center for Transitional Justice|author=Fatima Ayub|author2=Sari Kouvo|author3=Rachel Wareham|page=9|date=April 2009|access-date=2014-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309120749/http://ictj.org/sites/default/files/ICTJ-Afghanistan-Security-Reform-2009-English.pdf|archive-date=2013-03-09|url-status=live}}</ref>

Eikenberry succeeded [[Lieutenant General]] [[David Barno]] as commander, Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan, on May 4, 2005.<ref name="defense">{{cite web|url=http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=31741|title=Defense.gov News Article: Eikenberry Takes Command of Coalition Forces in Afghanistan|publisher=United States Department of Defense|access-date=2015-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408063955/http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=31741|archive-date=2015-04-08|url-status=dead}}</ref>

During his second tour from May 2005 to February 2007, he was responsible for transferring operational responsibility for southern and eastern Afghanistan to the NATO [[International Security Assistance Force]] and the international training of the Afghan National Army and Police Forces. He also commanded the military task force sent to Pakistan to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the wake of the October 8th, [[2005 Kashmir earthquake]]. He completed his military career in [[Brussels]], Belgium as the Deputy Chairman of the [[NATO]] [[NATO Military Committee#NATO Military Committee|Military Committee]].<ref name="NATO" />

==U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan==

[[File:Ambassador Eikenberry with Afghan Tribal Elders.jpg|thumb|right|Visiting Afghan provincial elders as US ambassador in 2009]]

On January 29, 2009, the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported that President [[Barack Obama]] had chosen Eikenberry to be the next [[United States Ambassador to Afghanistan|U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan]], replacing [[William Braucher Wood]]. The choice of a career army officer for the sensitive post was described by ''The Times'' as "highly unusual." On April 3, 2009, the Senate confirmed Eikenberry's nomination, and on April 29, 2009, he was sworn in as the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.<ref name="NYT" /> The official announcement of his nomination was made on March 11.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama picks U.S. ambassadors to Iraq, Afghanistan |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN11263067\ |author=Mason, Jeff |work=Reuters |publisher=Reuters |date=2009-03-11 |access-date=2010-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090406015740/http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN11263067 |archive-date=2009-04-06}}</ref> Following his confirmation as ambassador, he retired from the U.S. military with the rank of lieutenant general on April 28, 2009. As ambassador, he led the civilian surge directed by President Obama, overseeing the growth of the embassy staff from 350 to 1,400 civilian personnel from eighteen United States government departments and agencies, and the administration of bilateral development assistance budget of over US$4 billion annually.

===Leak of classified cables=== [[File:110313-S-PA947-276 (5537342835).jpg|thumb|Ambassador Eikenberry with Afghan ministers at the [[Kabul Museum]] in March 2011.]] In November 2009, Eikenberry sent two classified cables to his superiors in which he assessed the proposed U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. A description of the content of the cables was leaked soon after. In January 2010, the ''New York Times'' obtained and published the cables,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://documents.nytimes.com/eikenberry-s-memos-on-the-strategy-in-afghanistan|title=Ambassador Eikenberry's Cables on U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan|author=Eikenberry, Karl|work=New York Times|date=2010-01-25|access-date=2010-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805231745/http://documents.nytimes.com/eikenberry-s-memos-on-the-strategy-in-afghanistan|archive-date=2010-08-05|url-status=live}}</ref> which "show just how strongly the current ambassador feels about President [[Hamid Karzai]] and the Afghan government, the state of its military, and the chances that a troop buildup will actually hurt the war effort by making the Karzai government too dependent on the United States."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/world/asia/26strategy.html?scp=1&sq=ust%20how%20strongly%20the%20current%20ambassador%20feels%20about%20President%20Hamid%20Karzai%20and%20the%20Afghan%20government&st=cse|title=U.S. Envoy's Cables Show Worries on Afghan Plans|author=Eric Schmitt|date=January 25, 2010|work=New York Times|access-date=2010-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027022717/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/world/asia/26strategy.html?scp=1&sq=ust%20how%20strongly%20the%20current%20ambassador%20feels%20about%20President%20Hamid%20Karzai%20and%20the%20Afghan%20government&st=cse|archive-date=October 27, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2010, General [[Stanley A. McChrystal|McChrystal]] was described in a ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' profile as feeling blindsided by Eikenberry's statements in the leaked cables. On the other hand, Eikenberry is described elsewhere as being frank and vocal about his concerns about the Karzai government as being an unreliable partner for the United States in its efforts in Afghanistan.<ref>see ''[[Obama's Wars]]'' by [[Bob Woodward]], 2010, Simon and Schuster, especially Chapter 18 (pp. 212-221), about internal discussions in the White House about what path to pursue in Afghanistan.</ref>

== Career at Stanford University ==

In September 2011 Eikenberry became the Payne Distinguished Lecturer at the [[Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies]] at Stanford University<ref name="Stanford">{{cite news |url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/06/07/karl-eikenberry-on-afghanistan-china-and-life-at-stanford/ |title=Karl Eikenberry: On Afghanistan, China and life at Stanford |newspaper=The Stanford Daily |first=Natasha |last=Weaser |date=June 7, 2012 |access-date=September 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113015937/http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/06/07/karl-eikenberry-on-afghanistan-china-and-life-at-stanford/ |archive-date=November 13, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> and subsequently the William J. Perry Fellow in International Security at the [[Center for International Security and Cooperation]]. While at Stanford University, Eikenberry joined the faculty of the [[Ford Dorsey Program in International Policy Studies]], served as a member of the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]] congressionally mandated Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences, acted as a consultant for NATO and the [[RAND Corporation]], and lectured and written on civil-military relations, U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy and Sino American relations, counter-insurgency and state-building strategies, and the contribution of the arts and humanities to America's international competitiveness.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} He was elected to be a member of the ''American Academy of Arts and Sciences'' in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amacad.org/person/karl-w-eikenberry |title=The Honorable Karl W. Eikenberry |website=[[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102142806/https://www.amacad.org/person/karl-w-eikenberry |archive-date=November 2, 2021 |access-date=December 6, 2021}}</ref>

==Writings== *{{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=The Imjin War |journal=Military Review |volume=68 |issue=2 |date=February 1988 |pages=27–82 |url=http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p124201coll1/id/511/filename/512.pdf}} *{{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=The campaigns of Cao Cao |journal=Military Review |volume=74 |issue=8 |pages=56–64 |year=1994}} *{{cite book |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=Explaining and Influencing Chinese Arms Transfers |publisher=Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University |place=Washington, D.C. |date=February 1995 |series=McNair Papers |url=http://www.ndu.edu/inss/McNair/mcnair36/m36cont.html |access-date=2009-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109083126/http://www.ndu.edu/inss/McNair/mcnair36/m36cont.html |archive-date=2009-01-09}} *{{cite journal|first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=Take No Casualties |journal=Parameters |date=Summer 1996 |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=109–118 |url=http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/parameters/96summer/eiken.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609122813/http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/parameters/96summer/eiken.htm |archive-date=June 9, 2007}} *{{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=Ambassador Eikenberry's Cables on U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan |journal=New York Times |date=November 2009|url=http://documents.nytimes.com/eikenberry-s-memos-on-the-strategy-in-afghanistan}} *{{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=Stop Ignoring Taiwan |journal=Foreign Policy |date=May 2012|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/05/17/stop_ignoring_taiwan}} *{{cite journal |author=Eikenberry, Karl W. |author2=Hennessy, John L. |author3=Sheehan, James J. |author4=Kennedy, David M. |author5=Perry, William J.|title=The Future of the American Military|date=Spring 2012|journal=American Academy of Arts & Sciences: Bulletin|volume=65|issue=3|url=http://www.amacad.org/multimedia/pdfs/publications/bulletin/spring2012/spring12.pdf}} *{{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=The Militarization of US Foreign Policy |journal=American Foreign Policy Interests |date= January 2013 |volume=35|pages=1–8 |url=http://www.ncafp.org/ncafp/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Amb.-Eikenberry-Mil-USFP.pdf |doi=10.1080/10803920.2013.757952|s2cid=154672685}} *{{cite news |author1=Eikenberry, Karl W. |author2=Kennedy, David M.|title=Americans and Their Military, Drifting Apart|newspaper=New York Times|date=May 26, 2013|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/opinion/americans-and-their-military-drifting-apart.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0}} *{{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=The Limits of Counterinsurgency Doctrine in Afghanistan |journal=Foreign Affairs |date=September 2013|volume=92 |issue=5 |url=http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/139645/karl-w-eikenberry/the-limits-of-counterinsurgency-doctrine-in-afghanistan}} *{{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=Reassessing The All-Volunteer Force |journal=The Washington Quarterly |date=December 2013|volume=36|pages=7–24|url=http://fsi.stanford.edu/publications/reassessing_the_allvolunteer_force |doi=10.1080/0163660x.2013.751647|s2cid=153668204 |url-access=subscription}} *{{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=The American Calculus of Military Intervention |journal=Survival: Global Politics and Strategy |date=June 2014 |volume=56 |issue=3 |edition=3 |pages=264–271 |url=http://www.iiss.org/en/publications/survival/sections/2014-4667/survival--global-politics-and-strategy-june-july-2014-3d8b/56-3-17-eikenberry-c545 |doi=10.1080/00396338.2014.920157 |s2cid=154842453 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=2014-11-07 |access-date=2014-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107040954/http://www.iiss.org/en/publications/survival/sections/2014-4667/survival--global-politics-and-strategy-june-july-2014-3d8b/56-3-17-eikenberry-c545 |url-status=dead}} *{{cite journal|author1=Fukuyama, Francis |author2=Eikenberry, Karl W.|title=Friendless Obama needs Middle Eastern allies of convenience|journal=Financial Times|date=September 2014|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/ec1deb3e-3f5b-11e4-984b-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3IJz7C4MY}} *{{cite journal|first=Karl W.|last=Eikenberry|title=Thucydides Trap|journal=American Review: Global Perspectives on America|date=2014|url=http://americanreviewmag.com/stories/Thucydides-Trap|access-date=2014-11-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106225540/http://americanreviewmag.com/stories/Thucydides-Trap|archive-date=2014-11-06}} *{{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=China's Place in U.S. Foreign Policy |journal=The American Interest |date=June 2015 |volume=10 |issue=6 |url=http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/06/09/chinas-place-in-u-s-foreign-policy/}} * {{cite journal |first=Karl W. |last=Eikenberry |title=Civil Wars and Global Disorder: Threats and Opportunities |journal=[[Daedalus (journal)|Daedalus]] |date=Fall 2017 |volume=146 |issue=4 |url=https://www.amacad.org/multimedia/pdfs/publications/daedalus/fall2017/17_Fall_Daedalus_02_Introduction_Eikenberry-Krasner.pdf |archive-date=2017-11-08 |access-date=2017-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108035805/https://www.amacad.org/multimedia/pdfs/publications/daedalus/fall2017/17_Fall_Daedalus_02_Introduction_Eikenberry-Krasner.pdf |url-status=dead}}

==Awards and decorations==

===Personal decorations and badges=== Eikenberry's personal decorations include:<ref name=NATO/> {| width="100%" |valign="top" | {| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#ccccff;" align=center | colspan=2 |'''U.S. military decorations''' |- |{{ribbon devices|number=3|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Defense Distinguished Service Medal]] (with 3 OLC) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Defense Superior Service Medal]] (with 2 OLC) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Legion of Merit]] (with OLC) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|ribbon=Bronze Star Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Defense Meritorious Service Medal]] (with OLC) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=5|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] (with 5 OLC) |- |[[File:Joint Service Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|60px]] |[[Joint Service Commendation Medal]] |- |{{ribbon devices|number=4|type=oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Army Commendation Medal]] (with 4 OLC) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Army Achievement Medal]] (with OLC) |- style="background:#ccccff;" align=center | colspan=2 |'''U.S. unit awards''' |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|ribbon=Joint Meritorious Unit Award ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Joint Meritorious Unit Award]] (with 2 OLC) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Army Superior Unit Award ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Army Superior Unit Award]] (with OLC) |- style="background:#ccccff;" align=center | colspan=2 |'''U.S. non-military decorations''' |- |[[File:US DOS Distinguished Honor Award.svg|60px]] |[[Awards of the United States Department of State|State Department]] Distinguished Honor Award |- |[[File:Superior Honor Award.svg|60px]] |[[Awards of the United States Department of State|State Department]] Superior Honor Award  |- |[[File:US DOS Meritorious Honor Award.svg|60px]] |[[Awards of the United States Department of State|State Department]] Meritorious Honor Award  |- | |[[Director of Central Intelligence]] Award |- |[[File:JCSDCS.jpg|60px]] |[[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award]] |- style="background:#ccccff;" align=center | colspan=2 |'''U.S. service (campaign) medals and service and training ribbons''' |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[National Defense Service Medal]] (with 2 [[Service star|Service Stars]]) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] (with 2 Service Stars) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Afghanistan_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=60}} |[[Afghanistan Campaign Medal]] |- |[[File:Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|60px]] |[[Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal]] |- |[[File:Global War on Terrorism Service Medal ribbon.svg|60px]] |[[Global War on Terrorism Service Medal]] |- |[[File:Korea Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|60px]] |[[Korea Defense Service Medal]] |- |[[File:Humanitarian Service Medal ribbon.svg|60px]] |[[Humanitarian Service Medal]] |- |[[File:Army Service Ribbon.svg|60px]] |[[Army Service Ribbon]] |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=60}}<span style="position:relative; top: 0px; left: -37px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Award numeral 4.png|11px]]</span> |[[Overseas Service Ribbon#Army|Army Overseas Service Ribbon]] (with bronze [[award numeral]] 4) |} |valign="top" |

{| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#ccccff;" align=center | colspan=2 |'''U.S. badges, patches and tabs''' |- | align=center | [[File:Combat Infantry Badge.svg|100px]] |[[Combat Infantryman Badge]] |- | align=center | [[File:Expert Infantry Badge.svg|100px]] |[[Expert Infantryman Badge]] |- | align=center | [[File:Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg|80px]] |Master [[Parachutist Badge (United States)|Parachutist Badge]] |- | align=center | [[File:Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge.png|75px]] |[[Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge]] |- | align=center | [[File:United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png|80px]] |[[Army Staff Identification Badge]] |- | align=center | [[File:Ranger Tab.svg|80px]] |[[Ranger Tab]] |- | align=center | [[File:CFC-A SSI-FWTS.jpg|70px]] |[[Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan]] [[Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (United States Army)]] – Former War Time Service (SSI-FWTS). |- | align=center | [[File:ArmyOSB.jpg|75px]] |5 [[Overseas Service Bar]]s |} |}

===Non-U.S. service medals and ribbons=== * [[File:NATO Medal Yugoslavia ribbon bar.svg|60px]] [[NATO Medal]] for Former [[Yugoslavia]]

===Foreign military and civil decorations=== * [[File:CAN Meritorious Service Cross (military division) ribbon.svg|60px]] [[Meritorious Service Cross]] (M.S.C.) [[Canada]] * [[File:CZE Cross of Merit Min-of-Def 1st BAR.svg|60px]] [[Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic]], First Class<ref name="army">{{cite web |url=http://www.army.cz/scripts/detail.php?id=6412 |title=Czech Republic Military Awards and Decorations |publisher=army.cz |access-date=2015-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418060251/http://www.army.cz/scripts/detail.php?id=6412 |archive-date=2015-04-18 |url-status=live}}</ref> *[[File:HUN Szovetsegert Szolgalati Jel BAR.svg|60px]] Alliance Medal (Hungary) *[[File:Legion Honneur Officier ribbon.svg|60px]] [[Legion of Honor|French Officer Order of the Legion of Honor]] * [[File:Ghazi Amanullah Khan Medal (Afghanistan) - ribbon bar.png|60px]] State Medal of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan (Afghanistan) * State Medal of Ghazi Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan (Afghanistan)

===Foreign badges=== *[[File:German Silver Para badge.jpg|120px]] [[German Parachutist Badge]] in silver ({{langx|de|Fallschirmspringerabzeichen}})

===Academic Awards=== Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Centennial Medal

Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Degree, North Carolina State University<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ncsu.edu/project/botbook/public/2016/02/bot-tab7-universityaffairs-public.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207095601/https://www.ncsu.edu/project/botbook/public/2016/02/bot-tab7-universityaffairs-public.pdf |archive-date=2016-02-07 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree, Ball State University<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cms.bsu.edu/news/articles/2016/12/business-honors-student-leaves-gift-before-graduation |title=Ready to graduate, business honors student leaves parting gift - Ball State University |access-date=2016-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161218032159/http://cms.bsu.edu/news/articles/2016/12/business-honors-student-leaves-gift-before-graduation |archive-date=2016-12-18 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Degree, University of San Francisco<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myusf.usfca.edu/president/committees-commissions/honorary-degree-commission/past-recipients|title=Past Recipients | myUSF|website=myusf.usfca.edu|access-date=2017-05-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017002111/https://myusf.usfca.edu/president/committees-commissions/honorary-degree-commission/past-recipients|archive-date=2018-10-17|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Other=== George F. Kennan Award for Distinguished Public Service

State of North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://goldsborodailynews.com/blog/2016/01/31/eikenberry-presented-ncs-highest-civilian-honor/ |title=Eikenberry Presented NC's Highest Civilian Honor - Goldsboro Daily News - Goldsboro News, NCGoldsboro Daily News – Goldsboro News, NC |access-date=2016-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313085413/http://goldsborodailynews.com/blog/2016/01/31/eikenberry-presented-ncs-highest-civilian-honor/ |archive-date=2016-03-13 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Goldsboro High School Athletic Hall of Fame<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsargus.com/news/archives/2016/01/17/goldsboro_highs_hall_of_fame_returns/ |title=Goldsboro News-Argus | News: Goldsboro High's Hall of Fame returns |access-date=2016-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207104506/http://www.newsargus.com/news/archives/2016/01/17/goldsboro_highs_hall_of_fame_returns/ |archive-date=2016-02-07 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In August 2007 Eikenberry was given the key to the city of Goldsboro, North Carolina by the mayor.<ref>{{cite news |first=Aness |last=Myers |title=Eight homes in city's sights |url=http://www.newsargus.com/news/archives/2007/08/21/eight_homes_in_citys_sights/ |format=Paid subscription required |publisher=Goldsboro News-Argus |date=2007-08-21 |access-date=2010-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716055927/http://www.newsargus.com/news/archives/2007/08/21/eight_homes_in_citys_sights/ |archive-date=2011-07-16 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 2018, Eikenberry was the Keynote Speaker at the Stanford Model United Nations Conference.

==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links== *[http://fsi.stanford.edu/people/karl_eikenberry Karl Eikenberry] at Stanford, including his publications *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100625214406/http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/119236?RS_show_page=2 ''The Runaway General: Stanley McChrystal, Obama's top commander in Afghanistan''], [[Rolling Stone]] (June 22, 2010) *[http://thetartan.org/2013/9/30/news/eikenberry Former general talks on U.S., war] The Tartan, Carnegie Mellon University, September 13, 2013. *Eikenberry and [[Michael McFaul]] on [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi7AZBx4cJ8 Foreign Policy], Stanford University, November 11, 2014. *{{C-SPAN|1017656}}

===Interviews=== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100616054057/http://asiasociety.org/policy-politics/international-relations/us-asia/interview-lt-gen-karl-eikenberry Interview] with ''Asia Source'' (May 2, 2006) *[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7379465 Interview] with [[National Public Radio|NPR]] (February 13, 2007) *[http://www.iop.harvard.edu/Multimedia-Center/All-Videos/Afghanistan-A-Campaign-Assessment2 Afghanistan: A Campaign Assessment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702213848/http://www.iop.harvard.edu/Multimedia-Center/All-Videos/Afghanistan-A-Campaign-Assessment2 |date=2010-07-02}} at Harvard Institute of Politics (March 20, 2007) *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcwW6kmqv1c&feature=em-uploademail Interview] at the 25th Anniversary Chicago Humanities Festival (November 8, 2014).

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box| title=Commander, Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan | before= [[David Barno]] | years= 2005–2007 | after=[[David D. McKiernan]] }} {{s-dip}} {{succession box | title= [[United States Ambassador to Afghanistan|U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan]] | before= [[William Braucher Wood]] | after= [[Ryan Crocker]] | years= 2009–2011 }} {{s-end}} {{US Ambassadors to Afghanistan}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eikenberry, Karl W.}} [[Category:1951 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni]] [[Category:Harvard Kennedy School staff]] [[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]] [[Category:United States Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]] [[Category:United States Army generals]] [[Category:United States Military Academy alumni]] [[Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour]] [[Category:People from Goldsboro, North Carolina]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Afghanistan]] [[Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal]] [[Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences]] [[Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal]] [[Category:United States military attachés]] [[Category:National Bureau of Asian Research]] [[Category:The Asia Foundation]] [[Category:21st-century American diplomats]]