PORTLAND, Maine — Portland resident Laurence Pope has been chosen as the country’s top diplomat in Libya, where his predecessor was one of four Americans killed during a September 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.
Pope arrived in his post in Tripoli this week, according to the office of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree. United States relations with Libya have become a political flashpoint both domestically and abroad, with the attack on the consulate killing Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans last month. There is ongoing debate in Washington over whether the attack was the work of terrorists or an angry mob.
The strike has also been highlighted in the aftermath of Thursday night’s vice presidential debate, with Republicans taking aim at incumbent Vice President Joe Biden for saying the attack was retaliation for an anti-Islam Internet video when federal investigators have said it was an act of terrorism.
Pope, whose long diplomatic career includes three years as U.S. ambassador to Chad, will serve under the official title of U.S. Charge de Affairs to Libya until a permanent replacement to Stevens can be confirmed, according to Pingree’s office Friday.
“With the current turmoil in Libya and the tragic loss of Ambassador Stevens, it’s critical that someone step in quickly to lead our diplomatic efforts there. We are lucky to have someone like Larry Pope to fill this complex role until a permanent ambassador can be placed,” said Pingree in a statement. “With over 30 years in the Foreign Service and a keen understanding of the Arab world, he has the knowledge and experience we need at this pivotal moment. I truly appreciate his willingness to serve the country in this very difficult situation.”
Pope is the son of Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Everett Pope and has served as the State Department’s associate director of counter-terrorism and director of northern gulf affairs. He is a graduate of Bowdoin College in Brunswick and speaks both French and Arabic, in addition to English.
My advice> Bring your own security detail, you won’t get one from DC. Good Luck!!
Especially with Paul Ryan taking away funding.
Duh!
you should do some fact checking before you repeat talking points,the difference between what they wanted and what they got was very small.
Congress cut funds for security.
yes funds were cut,but there was plenty left to go around.The state dep’t. simply chose not to allocate any to protect the consulate or the ambassador for political reasons.
Funny……. they had enough money to buy Chevy Volts and a new charging station for the “war torn”Vienna consulate though;
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/101212-629252-vienna-got-chevy-volts-while-benghazi-cut.htm
The previous Ambassador was raped then shot and killed!! He was left unprotected by Obama and the Choom Gang. Obama is the worst President this country has ever had!! Always, Always blaming someone else. After blaming Bush for everything he couldn’t handle, he will now leave Romney a worse economy than Bush left him!!!
Was that legitimate rape? Todd Aiken would like that.
Paul Ryan didn’t deny the additional sixteen security guards. That was Obama administration. Which are still giving a song and dance about what happened. The people that were there asking for the additional security have been telling just what did happen the last couple of days. It sounds nothing like what Obama and Hillary are saying. As far as the funding cuts, that was vote by both parties.
Oh my, the right wing is unhinged again. Look under your bed, there might be something there that will grab you in the dark. The blood is on Ryan’s hands and he is running like a little boy.
And you came to this decision how? Both parties voted on the cuts….that’s how they passed. The sixteen additional security guards were denied by people in the Obama administration. Now just how do you spin those facts?
they were not under a bed,they were outside with mortars and rpg’s. the state dep,t. knew they would be coming,intelligence knew also.the white house was informed and all they did was find a youtube video to blame it on. Who has blood on their hands?
Well….It’s official……Obama says that it was the State Department that was in charge of the Libyan fiasco. Ambulances were called to the scene of a hit and run made by an Obama campaign bus;http://dailycaller.com/2012/10…
The only thing Yet to be stated by the Left is to blame it all on Bush.
Thankfully, this gentleman will have an administration that will not conceal facts from the American people. An administration that understands that terrorism exists in the world. An administration that will not apologize for American values and will not conduct foreign policy based on “the feelings of Muslims”.
Surely you are not speaking of the current administration? Just Sayin’…
Sure hope the Obama administration has his back better than the last poor soul.
These people that allowed this mission to be dictated by election year politics should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Including Obama Himself.
Well….It’s official……Obama says that it was the State Department that was in charge of the Libyan fiasco.
Ambulances were called to the scene of a hit and run made by an Obama campaign bus;
http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/12/white-house-throws-hillary-under-the-2012-bus/
Gosh, hope this guy does not accept this appointment, knowing that he will be on his own in a foreign country with no backup or help from the United States…..
call blackwater or a similar company now……..
Hope this guy is better protected by the Obama administration than what they did for the last guy…
This is a bit off the topic, but have you noticed that the BDN seems ONLY to allow Comments on national political opinion section in form of Facebook? Very much a cheap shot from left wing newsprint. Shameful.
Now that the young speaker to the press, Jay, has put his foot in his mouth about the Lack of Security at that Emabassy, and verbally blamed the Republicans today, well, how can they allow this bozo to speak for the President? They have no shame. Oh so disgusting and insulting. Most especially to the families of the four Americans who were killed in that attack.
i post and don’t have facebook, it is jay carneys job to eat at least both of his feet at least once a day or he is not doing his job,that is why the mouth piece job usually has such a high turnover rate
Advice for the ambassador: Post photos of Obama, Hillary Clinton, Chris Matthews, Rachael Maddow,
Ed Schultz, Bill Mahr, David Axelrod, George Clooney, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah, Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, George Soros, Arianna Huffington, Joan Behar, Michael Moorer, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi all around the perimeter of the embassy and consulates and I am sure you will scare away all of the terrorits!
Good idea. Although one big photo of Donna Brazille should do the trick.
Mr.Pope, please watch your back. Your boss may be off to Vegas again when you need help the most. Then him, his admin and his nutty VP will lie to cover their tracks . By the way, make sure the barbed wire is up, the security has bullets and don’t depend on the community organizer to help you. Good luck!
This new appointee must have pissed someone off in the White House to be
tapped for this position.
I wouldnt worry about the retirement plan if he takes the post.
I recommend Nancy Pelosi for the job.
Barbara Feinstein as assistant.
Decades and decades of experience.
In all seriousness, they should have appointed a much younger man- at least when the marines give the order to run he’d be able to comply. Run Larry run- won’t be something he’ll want to hear.
Not knowing the man, I for one would hope that as soon as he get’s there that he gets someone to take him out to whatever passes for a range and shows him which end of a Beretta is which. The same for an M-4. Until the Marine Embassy Guard Detail arrives Pope is gonna be, practically speaking, very much on his own. Pope is about to get the practical demonstration of the old Lone Ranger and Tonto joke first hand. Only this time there’s, for the immediate future, no one coming to the rescue. Been there and that mountain top is one lonely place when your up t your keester in bad guy’s.
Especially when the administration that sent you is apologizing to the killers that murdered and raped the previous occupant.
Obama administration doesn’t know anything about running guns to Mexico either.
Hope he doesn’t become another “bump in the road”.