Roemer, once seen as in the running to head the CIA, served on the blue-ribbon commission investigating the Sep 11, 2001 terror attacks on the US and on a key committee to prevent nuclear proliferation.

The 52-year-old former lawmaker holds a doctorate degree in government and now heads the Centre for National Policy, a Washington think-tank.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)