Andrew Eiva is a defense policy expert, former U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) officer, and lobbyist known for his significant influence on U.S. foreign policy during the late Cold War
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Background and Military Career
Born Andrius Linas Eitavicius in a refugee camp in Bonn, West Germany, in 1948, he is of Lithuanian descent.
He graduated from West Point in 1972 and served as a captain in the Green Berets, eventually leaving the military to pursue independent geopolitical goals.
Key Contributions
Arming the Afghan Mujahideen: Eiva was a primary advocate for upgrading U.S. aid to Afghan resistance fighters during the Soviet-Afghan War. He founded the Federation for American Afghan Action (FAAA) to lobby for more effective weapons, most notably the Stinger antiaircraft missile, arguing that the CIA's initial policy only provided enough to "fight and die".
Lithuanian Independence: Driven by his heritage and his grandfather’s history as a Lithuanian general, Eiva actively supported Lithuanian independence from the Soviet Union.
During the "January Events" of 1991 in Vilnius, he advised the Lithuanian government on defending the Supreme Council building against Soviet forces.
Advocacy and Human Rights: Beyond Afghanistan and Lithuania, he has worked on various human rights and defense causes, including lobbying to arm Bosnia and Kosovo against ethnic cleansing in the 1990s.
Honors
Order of the Cross of Vytis: He was awarded this high Lithuanian state honor for his contributions to the country's restoration of independence.
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