David Nalle

Who was David Nalle?

David Nalle was an American diplomat, writer and lecturer and the former editor of Central Asia Monitor.

Born in Philadelphia, his study of Engineering at Princeton University was interrupted by World War II where he served as a Naval Aviator. He returned to complete a degree in English after the war. In the 1950s he joined the United States Information Agency and was assigned to the Middle East desk and eventually sent to Afghanistan. During the 1960s he was posted in Iran, Syria and Jordan and began to develop a reputation as a linguist and expert on Central Asia and the Middle East. While in Iran he also served as director of the Iran-America Society. He returned to the United States to head the USIA's division for the Near East, South Asia and North Africa in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was then posted to Moscow as Press and Cultural Affairs Officer. After his tour in Moscow he returned to his prior supervisory position at USIA. He served a total of 28 years with the USIA.