ICFRC: The Complex Relationship Between Pakistan and the U.S.

Published: June 29, 2011, 10 a.m.

Since the event of Osama Bin Laden's capture, many have wondered about our relationship with Pakistan. Just days before it all took place, Supervisor Ben Rogers from Iowa's Linn County Board of Supervisors, served as Legislative Delegate on a privately organized citizen diplomacy trip to Pakistan. The trip consisted of a variety of meetings, some high profile government meetings as well as a number of private sector meetings, all aimed at promoting unrestricted dialogue between public and private leaders in the U.S. and Pakistan. The trip was unique in that while it was a legislative delegation, it was not organized by the U.S. government, meaning it was less restrictive in regards to both travel and meetings. This particular situation is what makes Rogers' U.S.-Pakistan foreign policy perspective so valuable and his view of the complicated relationship between the two countries so unique. Ben Rogers was elected to the Linn County Board of Supervisors in November, 2008. Rogers represents District 3, which includes most of the Northeast side of Cedar Rapids and the city of Hiawatha. Rogers previously worked as a Product Manager for the AdTrack Corporation, where he helped develop a web-based political software system called 'SmartVote'. In 2008, Rogers was named as one of the CBJ's '40 Under Forty' and a member of the Leadership for Five Seasons class. In 2010, Governor Chet Culver appointed Rogers to the Generation Iowa Commission to help Iowa attract and retain the now and next generation. Rogers graduated from The University of Iowa in 2002 and is married to Vanessa Rogers, Vice President of the Cedar Rapids Downtown District. More information on the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council can be found here.