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Biography
James A. Baker (1930–) was born in Texas, graduated from Princeton University, and served in the Marines. With a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin, he practiced law and became involved in politics. Baker was President Ronald Reagan’s chief of staff and then secretary of the treasury. In 1989, he became President George H. W. Bush’s secretary of state. To this position he brought almost two decades of experience in politics, both behind the scenes and in key administrative positions.
As secretary, Baker successfully oversaw U.S. foreign policy during the end of the Cold War, as the nations of Eastern Europe repudiated communist governments and the Soviet Union broke apart. Baker was also the driving force behind creating a coalition of nations to repel Saddam Hussein and Iraq from Kuwait during the First Persian Gulf War.
Baker continues to play a role in U.S. diplomacy and international affairs. He has served as a special envoy and as the Republican co-chair of the Iraq Study Group, tasked with assessing America’s policy toward Iraq.