Now isn't this just straight up highway robbery in the internet super highway or the equivalent of piracy in the Gulf of Aden? Did not even invite me to the launch party. May I please borrow some drones, pretty please?
On January 23, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Linda Thomas-Greenfield as the next Director General of the Foreign Service. The WH released the following brief bio:
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, with the rank of Minister Counselor and currently serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, a position she has held since August 2008. Previously, she was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau for African Affairs from 2006 to 2008, and Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration from 2004 to 2006. Other assignments have included overseas postings in Nigeria, The Gambia, Kenya, Jamaica, Pakistan, and Switzerland. From 1991 to 1993, she served as a Staff Assistant in the Office of the Director General of the Foreign Service. Prior to joining the Department of State, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield taught Political Science at Bucknell University.
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield received a B.A. from Louisiana State University and an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin.
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| Secretary Clinton with Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield during the Embassy Monrovia Dedication January 16 and 17, 2012 Photo from US Embassy Liberia |
Ambassador Pamela Ann White, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Career Minister, currently serves as the U.S. Ambassador to The Gambia. Prior to serving in The Gambia, she was United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director in Liberia, Tanzania, and Mali. From 1999 to 2001, she served as USAID’s Deputy Director for East Africa. Previously, Ambassador White held a number of overseas positions with USAID, including: Executive Officer in Senegal, Haiti, Egypt and South Africa and Community Liaison Officer in Burkina Faso.
Prior to joining USAID in 1978, Ambassador White served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon from 1971 to 1973. She holds a B.A. from the University of Maine, an M.A. from the School for International Training, and an M.S. from the Industrial College of Armed Forces.
If confirmed, Ambassador White would succeed career diplomat, Kenneth Merten, who was appointed chief of mission to Port au Prince on August 2009.
Related items:
January 23, 2012 | President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts
Sept 14, 2010 | Officially In: Pamela Ann White to Banjul | Diplopundit
All travelers to Bahrain face increased scrutiny from Bahraini authorities, and the Government of Bahrain has refused to allow some U.S. citizens permission to enter Bahrain. The airport remains open and operational.Read in full here.
Spontaneous and sometimes violent anti-government demonstrations occur in some neighborhoods, particularly at night and on weekends. These demonstrations have included blockades of major highways, trash can fires, and establishment of unofficial checkpoints. Participants have thrown rocks and Molotov cocktails and used various other homemade weapons. The Ministry of Interior maintains official checkpoints in some areas and routinely uses tear gas, stun grenades, and other crowd control measures against demonstrators. The violent clashes between security forces and demonstrators can make travel in and around Bahrain dangerous without advance warning.
The U.S. Embassy restricts its employees from traveling to specific areas and advises all U.S. citizens to do the same. The recent increase in violent demonstrations along the Budaiya Highway corridor has led to traffic disruptions, effectively restricting travel for those living in the area. The resulting inability to leave one's home for an extended period poses significant safety and security concerns. As a result, Embassy employees and their dependents are being relocated to different neighborhoods. We continue to urge U.S. citizens to follow the latest security guidance and to avoid demonstrations. Please check our Demonstration Notices where the latest information and security guidance along with the latest map outlining the recommended areas of travel can be found.
There are no indications that Westerners or U.S. citizens are being targeted directly, but recent isolated examples of anti-U.S. sentiment have been seen on the streets and U.S. flags have occasionally been burned during demonstrations. U.S. citizens are urged to remain alert to local security developments and to be vigilant regarding their personal security by knowing the locations of police and fire stations, hospitals, and the U.S. Embassy.
"While the State Department is right to worry about the security of its employees, removing diplomats at the first sign of trouble undercuts diplomats’ ability to gather information.[...] When the going gets tough, that is the time for American diplomats to be on the street, in local markets, and generally outside embassy walls or the confines of posh neighborhoods."I don't know that you'd call this "the first sign of trouble." The demonstrations in Bahrain have been on and off since last year. And really, the mission is relocating staff housing in this arid archipelago, it's not like the embassy is shut down for business.
U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman shakes hands with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra— with Senator Kelly Ayotte, Sheldon Whitehouse, Joseph Lieberman, John McCain and Yingluck Shinawatra.
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| Photo from US Embassy/BKK/FB |
On January 23, President Obama announced his intent to nominate John Christopher Stevens as the next Ambassador to Libya. The WH released the following brief bio:
John Christopher Stevens, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, served as Special Representative to the Libyan Transitional National Council from March 2011 to November 2011. Prior to this role, he was the Director of the Office of Multilateral Nuclear and Security Affairs. From 2007 to 2009, he served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Tripoli, Libya. From 2006 to 2007, he was a Pearson Fellow with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Previous overseas assignments have included: Deputy Principal Officer and Political Section Chief in Jerusalem; Political Officer in Damascus; Consular/Political Officer in Cairo; and Consular/Economic Officer in Riyadh. In Washington, Mr. Stevens has served as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Iran Desk Officer, and a Staff Assistant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.
Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Stevens was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco from 1983 to 1985. He holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, a J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of the Law, and an M.S. from the National War College.
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| Photo taken in Libya during Secretary Rice’s trip to Portugal, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, September 4 -7, 2008. State Dept. Photo by David Y. Lee John C. Stevens identified with a red arrow |
Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). Prior to joining FSI, she served as U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan (2006-2009) and U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan (2003-2006). Previously, she was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Riga, Latvia. Prior to her assignment in Riga, Ambassador Jacobson served as Deputy Executive Secretary at the National Security Council. Other assignments have included overseas postings in Seoul, Korea; Nassau, Bahamas; and Moscow, Russia. Ambassador Jacobson’s Washington assignments have included service in State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, and Office of the Under Secretary for Management.
Ambassador Jacobson received a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and an M.A. from John Hopkins Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.
Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and is currently U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, a position he has held since March 2010. Prior to his assignment in Nepal, Ambassador DeLisi was the Director of Career Development and Assignments in the State Department's Bureau of Human Resources. During his 30 year career in the Foreign Service, Ambassador DeLisi has served as Ambassador to the State of Eritrea and as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Gaborone, Botswana. He has also served as Director for Entry Level Programs in the Bureau of Human Resources, Director for Southern African Affairs, and Chief of the Political Section in Sri Lanka. His other postings include assignments in Pakistan, Madagascar, and India.
Ambassador DeLisi received his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Minnesota.
Today is the start of the year of the water dragon (23 January 2012 – 9 February 2013). Happy Year of the Dragon!
