Former President George W. Bush is scheduled to be a keynote speaker at a security and intelligence conference called the Solutions Summit. The speaking event is titled “Human Critical: Empowering People to Drive US Security” and it has everyone scratching their heads and asking, what is George Bush doing giving a presentation at a security and intelligence conference?
The conference’s host, SAP National Security Services was not forthcoming with information about why President Bush was being asked, and likely paid, to speak.
As Mother Jones reports:
When I asked [Kristen Sanchez, director of marketing at SAP National Security Services (SAP NS2)] why SAP NS2 would spotlight Bush and whether this German subsidiary was compensating the former president for his time, she was not too forthcoming. Here’s the exchange:
“Is President Bush being paid?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“Why?”
“Because I prefer not to.”
“Why was President Bush invited?”
“That’s not any information I want to give out.”
“Do you tend to pay your speakers?”
“No comment on that.”
I also asked Sanchez to characterize the purpose of the event, and she replied, “I’m not in a position to comment on this.” She suggested I send her an email to arrange another time to talk. I did — and never heard back from her.
So what, exactly, is behind bringing President Bush to this security conference – having him lecture security analysts? The answers are unclear, but it is clear that President Bush, who was notorious for shunning the advice of the intelligence agency, is an odd choice for such an event.
For more on this, read the article from Mother Jones titled: “George W. Bush to Lecture Intelligence Professionals. Really?“
