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Executives of all sorts throughout history have sent emissaries to other powerful people - for endless reasons of their self interest. That sort of close, intimate relationship - even among enemies - can be useful. These selections are now called Ambassadors - many of whom have extremely important missions in modern government.
Ambassador nominations in the United States are subject to the advice and consent - called confirmation - by the United States Senate.
Ambassadorial Duties
Ambassadors usually are the senior representatives of the President and the United States to particular countries. In that case, we recognize the government of that country as the legitimate representative of the people there. We do not necessarily agree with the nature of that government - but it is a power to be dealt with there. (Most countries are not democracies as we define them - so many time recognizing a government as legitimate only means that it is the government actually in power and we cannot do anything about it.)
This kind of Ambassador is the head of our embassy in the country and represents the United States in all matters in that country. Depending on the country - the embassy staff may be very large or just a few professional State Department people. We may have other offices - called Consulates in the country for the Embassy where various services are provided. (An example is issuing visas for visitors to the United States.) Various other agencies of our government such as Commerce and Agriculture may also have offices in our embassies.
Ambassadors serve at the "Pleasure of the President" and are usually replaced with each new administration. |
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Syria to Get Full Ambassador
Syria has been a reasonably difficult and dangerous player in the Middle East, but more cooperative in problems with Iraq to its east. The US withdrew our Ambassador about five years ago but has maintained an embassy. President Obama has appointed a respected career Foreign Service Officer to be the Ambassador. A career officer is a good starting point in this case so the person has serious qualifications - such as language skills, etc., to work on improving things. The nominee is getting standard Republican objections but will be confirmed. 02-17-10 See Ambassador Page
The President Appoints Senior Counsel to Islamic Conference
The United States spent generation of solid relationships with the Middle East countries and Islamic communities in general. While all of that fell apart for a variety of very complex reasons, as Islamic populations have grown, the President sees the urgent need to strengthen those relationships again. Today he announced the appointment of one of the Senior Counsel to the President to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, a group of 57 countries. Rashad Hussein was appointed to represent the United States at that international Conference today. 02-13-10
Ambassador Patronage Leverage
Jamaica's US Ambassador job not filled to muscle extradition of a person held in Jamaica. Jamaica's ambassador from the United States has not been nominated or confirmed. The State Department claims there is no connection - not a chance that is true - a long delay of an senior appointment almost always to impact policy with the recipient country. 01-15-10
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