Appointments and Resignations
Ambassador to Iraq: Who Is Robert Stephen Beecroft?
He returned to the Middle East to serve as ambassador at the embassy in Amman, Jordan, from July 17, 2008 to June 4, 2011. He joined the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, as deputy chief of mission on July 14, 2011, and became chargé d’affaires upon the departure of Ambassador James Jeffrey on June 1, 2012. read more
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs: Who Is Kevin Washburn?
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs: Who Is Kevin Washburn?
On August 2, 2012, President Barack Obama nominated a law professor with experience in American Indian law and gambling law to succeed Larry EchoHawk as Assistant S... read more
Director of the Missile Defense Agency: Who Is James Syring?
In the wake of the dismissal of Lieutenant General Patrick O’Reilly as head of the Missile Defense Agency for outrageously abusive conduct toward his staff, President Barack Obama has nominated Rear Admiral James D. Syring to be promoted to Vice A... read more
Ambassador to Pakistan: Who Is Richard Olson?
In the wake of the resignation of career diplomat Cameron Munter, who was a casualty of Pakistani anger over civilian deaths and U.S. covert actions there, President Obama on July 17 nominated career diplomat Richard Olson, who served as Coordinat... read more
U.S. Army Chief of Engineers: Who Is Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick?
On May 22, 2012, Lieutenant General Thomas P. Bostick became the 53rd U.S. Army Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Lieutenant General Bostick serves as the senior military officer overseeing most... read more
Ambassador to Afghanistan: Who Is James Cunningham?
President Barack Obama, opting for continuity as the U.S. prepares to draw down its military presence in the war torn nation of Afghanistan by the end of 2014, on July 17 nominated veteran diplomat James B. Cunningham, currently deputy Ambassador ... read more
Acting Inspector General of the Defense Department: Who Is Lynne Halbrooks?
Lynne Halbrooks became the Acting Inspector General for the Department of Defense on December 25, 2011, succeeding Gordon Heddell. The DoDIG is supposed to operate independently to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse through audits and inve... read more
Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): Who Is Arati Prabhakar?
Hoping to move beyond the conflict of interest controversy that torpedoed the tenure of outgoing director Regina Dugan, the Obama administration has named a new director for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dugan resigned i... read more
Ambassador from Malaysia: Who Is Othman Hashim?
The Southeast Asian nation of Malaysia has sent a career diplomat to serve as its next ambassador to the United States, replacing a political appointee, Datuk Seri Dr. Jamaluddin Jarjis, who served in Washington for two-and-a-half years. (“Datuk... read more
Ambassador to Serbia: Who Is Michael Kirby?
A career diplomat who has served mainly in Eastern Europe is President Obama’s nominee to be the next ambassador to Serbia, the Balkan nation with which the U.S. has had sometimes tense relations since the breakup of Yugoslavia began in the earl... read more
Ambassador from Singapore: Who Is Ashok Mirpuri?
The new ambassador from the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore is an experienced diplomat with no prior postings in the Western Hemisphere. Set to begin his posting on July 23, 2012, Ashok Kumar Mirpuri succeeds Chan Heng Chee, who served a... read more
Nominated Ambassador to Netherlands Withdraws after Drunk Driving Arrest: Who is Timothy Broas?
President Obama’s nominee to be the next ambassador to Netherlands has withdrawn his name from the confirmation process in the wake of his recent arrest for drunk driving and resisting arrest. Timothy M. Broas, 58, was pulled over by Montgomery ... read more
Ambassador to Cyprus: Who Is John Koenig?
President Obama has nominated a career diplomat with extensive prior experience in the Aegean Sea region to be the next U.S. ambassador to the ethnically divided island nation of Cyprus. John M. Koenig has served previously in Cyprus, and while ... read more
U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Resigns over “Leadership Style” and Priorities: Who is Scott Gration?
Scott Gration, a close adviser and friend to President Barack Obama, has resigned as U.S. ambassador to Kenya, citing leadership differences with Washington.
In an email to The Washington Post, Gration wrote: “Differences with Washington reg... read more
Ambassador to Guinea: Who is Alex Laskaris?
On May 24, 2012, President Barack Obama nominated a career diplomat who has served mainly in Africa to be the next ambassador to the West African nation of Guinea. Alexander Mark Laskaris would succeed Ambassador Patricia Moller, who has been ch... read more
Director of the Office of Government Ethics: Who Is Walter Shaub, Jr.?
A new ethics watchdog for federal employees is on the way. Walter M. Shaub, Jr., was nominated by President Obama on May 24 to serve a five-year term as Director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), succeeding Robert I. Cusick, Jr., whose t... read more