Monday, October 24, 2011

U.S. pulls ambassador out of Syria, citing threats

DAMASCUS, Syria — U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford has been pulled out of Syria because of concerns for his safety, embassy officials said Monday, citing “credible threats” to the security of the envoy who has led American criticism of Syrian efforts to crush a seven-month-old uprising.

Ford, whose high-profile visits to activists and protests had made him a controversial figure in Syria, returned to the United States at the weekend and will remain there indefinitely until “the situation improves on the ground,” said Haynes Mahoney, the charge d’affaires at the embassy in Damascus.
Read the rest here.

2 comments:

The Anti-Gnostic said...

I imagine any foreign ambassador coming to the US and criticizing our government and visiting dissident groups would draw some death threats as well.

John (Ad Orientem) said...

I don't know why the Syrians didn't declare him persona non grata on the basis of activities inconsistent with diplomatic status. I certainly would have.