New Chargé d’ Affaires Appointed to Libya

Photo Credit: Angelo State University/Reuters

The State Department has announced that Laurence Pope has been appointed as the new Chargé d’ Affaires to Libya after the death of Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Pope has previously “served as a Foreign Service Officer from 1969-2000, retiring at the rank of Minister Counselor after having held a number of senior posts in the Department of State. “It was very clear that we needed to get a senior leader to Libya on an urgent basis in advance of the White House having an opportunity to nominate a permanent successor for [Ambassador Stevens],” a State Department official said.  Pope was the Director for Northern Gulf Affairs (1987–1990), Associate Director for Counter-Terrorism (1991–1993), U.S. Ambassador to Chad (1993–1996), and Political Advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of United States Central Command (1997–2000).” Additionally, he was nominated by President Clinton as Ambassador to Kuwait in 2000.

Meanwhile, Elliott Abrams compares the effects of the Arab uprisings on Arab monarchs and the leaders of the Arab “republics,” and he suggests, “We have interests and principles at stake [in the transitional Middle East], and should defend them. And when people who share those principles and whose victories advance our interests seek our help, it is not rueful wisdom that suggests we adopt a position of neutrality in their struggle and a lack of interest in their fate.”