March 20, 2014

Remarks prepared for delivery by Special Inspector General John F. Sopko at the Atlantic Council, Washington, D.C.

Thank you, Shuja, for that generous introduction.Good afternoon.It is a real privilege to be here with you today. For more than six decades the Atlantic Council has provided an important bipartisan forum to discuss the most challenging issues confronting the United States and its European allies. Nothing in recent memory has been more challenging

Feb. 18, 2014

Remarks prepared for delivery by Special Inspector General John F. Sopko at the Professional Services Council Dialogue Lunch Series, Washington, D.C.

Good afternoon. Alan, thank you for the very kind introduction.I want to thank the professional services council for inviting me to speak today.I also want to especially thank my old colleague from Senator Nunn’s staff, Alan Chvotkin, for sharing with me the specific concerns of PSC member companies. He is a skilled and dedicated advocate on your

Jan. 23, 2014

Remarks prepared for delivery by Special Inspector General John F. Sopko at the National Sheriffs’ Association, Washington, D.C.

Thank you, Michael (Michael Mason, Verizon) for that kind introduction. And thank you, Sheriff Leidholt (NSA President Michael Leidholt, Sheriff of Hughes County, South Dakota) and Sheriff Kennard (NSA Executive Director Aaron Kennard, Sheriff of Salt Lake County, Utah). It’s a privilege to be here this morning. First, because I have great

May 15, 2013

Remarks prepared for delivery by Special Inspector General John F. Sopko at the Association of Former Senate Aides, Washington, D.C.

Good afternoon. It is a privilege to be here today. Being with you today reminds me how important it is to maintain the friendships we formed when all of us served in the Senate as staffers.When I first came to Washington in 1982 to work for the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and met some of you, I thought I would stay for only a year, or

May 8, 2013

Remarks prepared for delivery by Special Inspector General John F. Sopko at the New America Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Good afternoon. I want to express my gratitude to the New America Foundation for inviting me to speak today, and I want to acknowledge your commitment to new ideas and new approaches as we face the challenges of the 21st century.Given the many challenges we face at home and abroad -- and especially in Afghanistan -- everyone must commit themselves

Feb. 4, 2013

Remarks prepared for delivery by Special Inspector General John F. Sopko at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C.

It’s a real honor for me to be here today at CSIS. In many ways, this is a bit of a homecoming for me, having worked for over 15 years for Senator Sam Nunn, who is Chairman of CSIS’ Board of Trustees, as well as with John Hamre, who has been the tireless leader of CSIS since 2000.In many ways, those 15 years working with Senator Nunn helped prepare

Jan. 10, 2013

Remarks prepared for delivery by Special Inspector General John F. Sopko at the Stimson Center, Washington, D.C.

Thank you, Ellen, for that generous introduction.I'm honored to be here today at the Stimson Center – an institution named for and inspired by a man who helped guide the nation through some of the most difficult challenges it has ever faced, and an organization that I remember calling upon for guidance and assistance on many occasions when I was

Nov. 27, 2012

Remarks of New Inspector General John F. Sopko to SIGAR Staff

It is a pleasure and an honor to be appointed Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction by President Obama. And it's especially an honor to be able to work with all of you on this important mission - probably the most important mission in the U.S. government today, as we begin to transition security from U.S. and I.S.A.F. forces to