Robert Krueger

Robert "Bob" Krueger has been a university professor and dean, businessman, chairman of a state energy regulatory board, U.S. Congressman, U.S. Senator, U.S. Ambassador on three occasions and Special Representative of the U.S. Secretary of State. 

A native of New Braunfels, Krueger graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Southern Methodist University, later earning his master's degree from , Duke University and completing his Ph.D. in English literature at Oxford University, England. He began his teaching career at age 25 at Duke University and by age 36 was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

In 1974, Krueger won a seat in the U.S. Congress, representing the 21st District of Texas. In 1990, Krueger won statewide election to the Texas Railroad Commission, serving as chairman of the body regulating oil, gas and other in-state energy production. Two years later, Governor Ann Richards selected him to serve as U.S. Senator when Lloyd Bentsen resigned to accept the position of U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.

In 1979, Krueger was appointed U.S. Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Mexican Affairs by President Carter. In 1993, President Clinton appointed him Ambassador to Burundi, where his defense of human rights made him a target of an assassination attempt in 1995. Later that year, Krueger was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Botswana.

Krueger served as a consultant on international trade issues and U.S. government policy. He served on the board of directors of Viad Corp., a diversified company providing financial, convention and travel services. In 2002-2003, as a visiting professor, he taught a course on Shakespeare at the University of Texas and a graduate course in public administration at Texas State University. 

—Adapted from the original event program distributed at Robert Krueger's LBJ Distinguished Lecture

“I don’t know of any ethical system anywhere to justifies preemptive strikes which say, I think you might want to murder me, therefore, I’m going to kill you real quick before you have a chance. This sort of thing defies logic and law and this and comes much nearer to propaganda.”

“And trust is the basis that underlies every government’s relations with its people. Peace and normal civil society cannot exist without trust.”

“To act unilaterally is to act like a tyrant. ‘It is excellent to have a giant’s strength,’ Shakespeare says, ‘but tyrannous to use it like a giant.’ We cannot claim to act as a democratic nation intervening for the professed cause of establishing democracy if we ignore the expressed wishes of the United Nations, whatever its failings.”