July 30, 2010  Print Email | White House defends choice of Iraq ambassador
A seasoned, accomplished diplomat
Posted by Agencies at 08:56 AM GMT on Mar 14, 2009 | WASHINGTON (AFP): The White House and top Democrats Friday mounted a strong defense of Christopher Hill, President Barack Obama's pick to be ambassador to Iraq, after two top Republicans said he was not qualified for the job.
"He is a very seasoned, accomplished diplomat, somebody who has dealt with extraordinary challenges and is uniquely qualified in a very tough political environment that remains in Iraq," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
"The president has an extraordinary respect for his ability. I think he's proven his ability to understand very complex political situations, to resolve those political situations.
"Iraq is a very unique situation and the president believes that Chris Hill is uniquely qualified to meet those challenges."
"I think the President believes he's got the right man for the job."
On Thursday, Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham said Obama should reconsider his choice and raised "real concerns" about Hill, best known for his diplomacy on the North Korea nuclear question.
"The next ambassador should have experience in the Middle East and in working closely with the US military in counter insurgency or counter terrorism operations. Mr Hill has neither," they said in a joint statement.
"Given these considerations, together with the controversial legacy Mr Hill left in his North Korea diplomacy, we believe that the president should reconsider this nomination."
They did not elaborate, but a Senate aide who requested anonymity said they were worried about Hill's ability to have a solid working relationship with the military commanders in Iraq, the Pentagon, Congress and the State Department.
Obama announced his choice of Hill as ambassador to Iraq on February 27 and the nomination requires Senate approval.
"While Mr Hill is a talented diplomat who has served our country for many years, his selection for this post concerns us," said McCain and Graham, warning that he is wrong for Iraq at a "particularly critical time."
The State Department also defended Hill, saying the veteran diplomat looked forward to addressing concerns about his credentials at his Senate confirmation hearings.
"He is ready for those hearings," said State Department acting deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid, listing some of Hill's career highlights including his role in helping to negotiate the Dayton Peace Accords which ended the Bosnian war.
for Iraq at a "particularly critical time."
The State Department also defended Hill, saying the veteran diplomat looked forward to addressing concerns about his credentials at his Senate confirmation hearings.
"He is ready for those hearings," said State Department acting deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid, listing some of Hill's career highlights including his role in helping to negotiate the Dayton Peace Accords which ended the Bosnian war.
Top Democrats on Capitol Hill meanwhile also began to muster in Hill's defense.
"Hill is precisely the kind of diplomat America needs in the Middle East and Iraq, where a long-term resolution must be achieved politically and diplomatically, not militarily," said Senate Majority leader Harry Reid.
"I look forward to confirming him as quickly as possible."
John Kerry, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations committee, accused Hill's critics of unfairly attacking him, saying he had simply carried out the instructions he was given on North Korea talks.
"Some of my colleagues, frustrated by North Korea’s dogged pursuit of nuclear weapons, have implied that Ambassador Hill is somehow responsible for the fact that North Korea exploded a nuclear device on (former) president (George W.) Bush's watch," Kerry said in a statement.
"But the responsibility for that lies first and foremost with North Korea and second with president Bush and his senior advisers, who did not empower Ambassador Hill to engage in direct talks with Pyongyang until after the North had withdrawn from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, exported nuclear technology to Syria, and tested a nuclear bomb," Kerry said.
"In fact, had Ambassador Hill not been hamstrung by in-fighting among senior members of the Bush Administration, President Obama might not have inherited such a dangerous problem on the Korean Peninsula."
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