Michele Kelemen
Michele Kelemen has been with NPR for two decades, starting as NPR's Moscow bureau chief and now covering the State Department and Washington's diplomatic corps. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
As Diplomatic Correspondent, Kelemen has traveled with Secretaries of State from Colin Powell to Mike Pompeo and everyone in between. She reports on the Trump administration's "America First" foreign policy and before that the Obama and Bush administration's diplomatic agendas. She was part of the NPR team that won the 2007 Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Award for coverage of the war in Iraq.
As NPR's Moscow bureau chief, Kelemen chronicled the end of the Yeltsin era and Vladimir Putin's consolidation of power. She recounted the terrible toll of the latest war in Chechnya, while also reporting on a lighter side of Russia, with stories about modern day Russian literature and sports.
Kelemen came to NPR in September 1998, after eight years working for the Voice of America. There, she learned the ropes as a news writer, newscaster and show host.
Michele earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master's degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Russian and East European Affairs and International Economics.
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A U.S.-sponsored resolution on Iraq is postponed at the United Nations, despite a flurry of compromises. The resolution sets Dec. 15 as the deadline for submitting an outline of the country's future. The draft also calls for a multi-national military force to help secure the nation. Hear NPR's Michele Kelemen.
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The Bush administration re-organizes its effort to rebuild Iraq, creating the "Iraq Stabilization Group," headed by National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. The move gives the White House a greater role -- and the Pentagon a smaller one -- in postwar planning for Iraq. Critics say the change is welcome, but overdue. Hear NPR's Michele Kelemen.
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The Bush administration has asked dozens of countries to contribute troops to help stabilize Iraq. Some countries, such as France and India, say they will not send troops without a clearer U.N. mandate. The administration has run into similar problems asking wealthy European nations to contribute money to rebuild Iraq. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.
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American forces in Iraq launch another series of raids against militants suspected of planning attacks to mark upcoming anniversaries linked to Iraqi nationalism and Saddam Hussein. Weekend Edition Sunday guest host Michele Kelemen speaks with NPR's Guy Raz, who is embedded with troops involved with the raids.
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In New York, the United Nations appeals to the international community to contribute money for reconstruction efforts in Iraq. But some countries are reluctant to make a long-term financial commitment, saying the United States must first give the international community more decision-making power in postwar Iraq. Hear NPR's Michele Kelemen.
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In a series of closed hearings, House and Senate committees examine whether U.S. intelligence about possible illegal weapons in Iraq were exaggerated to justify war. Meanwhile, U.S. officials say they expect 20,000 to 30,000 troops from other countries, including the Netherlands, Slovakia, Denmark and the Ukraine, will be in Iraq by August. Hear Dana Priest of The Washington Post and NPR's Michele Kelemen.
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American forces in Iraq capture Abid Hamid Mahmud, Saddam Hussein's security chief and No. 4 on the U.S. list of 55 most-wanted Iraqi leaders. And U.S. troops raid farmhouses near the northern city of Tikrit in an effort to root out supporters of the former Baathist regime. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.
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President Bush names former ambassador Paul Bremer as the new head of the transition team in Iraq. Bremer takes over for retired Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, who has been leading the post-war reconstruction effort so far. Observers say the appointment is aimed at downplaying the impression that Iraq is under U.S. military occupation. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.
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The U.N. Security Council discusses President Bush's call to lift sanctions against Iraq. France meets the United States part way, suggesting an immediate suspension of sanctions targeting Iraqi civilians. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.
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Legal questions arise as President Bush calls on the U.N. Security Council to lift sanctions imposed years ago against Iraq. Lifting the sanctions could leave the United Nations with less influence in Iraq's rebuilding process. Hear from NPR's Michele Kelemen and Ian Johnstone, assistant professor of International Law at Tufts University.