Dov S. Zakheim (born December 18, 1948) is an American businessman, writer, politician, and former official of the United States government. In the Reagan administration, he held various Department of Defense positions.
Dov S. Zakheim was born on December 18, 1948 in Brooklyn, New York. He earned his bachelor’s degree in government from Columbia University in 1970, and his doctorate in economics and politics at St. Antony’s College, Oxford University. He is Jewish.
Zakheim was an adjunct professor at the National War College, Yeshiva University, Columbia University and Trinity College, where he was presidential scholar.
Zakheim served in various Department of Defense posts during the Reagan administration, including Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Planning and Resources from 1985 to 1987. There was some controversy in both the US and Israel over Zakheim’s involvement in ending the Israeli fighter program, the IAI Lavi. He argued that Israeli and U.S. interests would be best served by having Israel purchase F-16 fighters, rather than investing in an entirely new aircraft.
Zakheim was signed a letter to Clinton about Iraq.[4][5][6] During the 2000 U.S. Presidential election campaign, Zakheim served as a foreign policy advisor to George W. Bush as part of a group led by Condoleezza Rice that called itself The Vulcans.
