The Ambassadors

September 15, 2019
An intriguing look at U.S. diplomats in the greater Middle East. On Sept. 11, 2012, Islamist militants killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans in raids on the U.S. consulate and CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya. Those horrific attacks were only two of more than 400 "significant" attacks on "U.S. diplomatic facilities and personnel" since 2001. In his first book, Richter, a former Los Angeles Times reporter in the Washington, D.C., bureau, profiles four diplomats--Stevens, Ryan C. Crocker (ambassador to Afghanistan, 2011-2012), Robert S. Ford (ambassador to Syria, 2010-2014), and Anne W. Patterson (ambassador to Egypt, 2011-2013)--who chose to serve in some of the most dangerous locales of the immediate post-9/11 years. The author, whose reporting has taken him to more than 60 countries, effectively relates the admirable, often inspiring efforts of the four diplomats who did their best in the most trying circumstances; they were indeed "the best people for the worst places." Richter shows Crocker using a sleeping bag in his Kabul office, Ford traversing the deadly streets of Najaf, Iraq, without a bodyguard, and an Egyptian magazine calling Patterson "The Ambassador from Hell." Stevens paid the ultimate price for his service, and Richter's depiction of his demise is both captivating and heartbreaking. The author slips on occasion. Crocker returned to Washington from a Middle East trip in December 2001, not December 2002, and Iron Maiden's "2 Minutes to Midnight" is a song, not an album. Elsewhere, the author undermines his argument for a U.S. role in "steady[ing] these countries" when he admits that the nations in question are "weak and failing societies" riddled with corruption, incompetent governance, and ethnic and religious infighting. Still, Richter does a service by showing the diplomats' accomplishments to readers. He also includes a helpful timeline and a 12-page cast of characters. "There are no ticker tape parades for diplomats," a State Department official once said. This book gives them the recognition they deserve.

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from October 1, 2019

Veteran Los Angeles Times journalist and diplomatic correspondent Richter profiles four front-line diplomats representing the United States in the Middle East after the 9/11 attacks: Ryan Crocker in Afghanistan, Robert Ford in Iraq, J. Christopher Stevens in Libya, and Anne Patterson in Pakistan. These individuals personify the best of the American diplomatic corps: knowledgeable, adept in local languages, hardworking, and courageous. His subjects had repeated assignments in hot spots, from Pakistan and Afghanistan to Libya and Egypt, and in the war zones of Iraq and Syria. They engaged and confronted government leaders and citizens in all spheres of society, and provided informed advice to Washington even when the White House or the Pentagon wasn't interested. Richter offers a coherent, comprehensive picture of war-torn or fragmented regions, and the personal commitment of the diplomats to serve American interests and help their host countries. He creates appealing portraits of strong and dedicated professionals deserving of support and respect from both Washington politicians and the American public. VERDICT Highly recommended as a rich analysis of the challenges of nation building in various parts of the world, and the network of highly capable diplomats committed to serving their country.--Elizabeth Hayford, formerly with Associated Coll. of the Midwest, Evanston, IL

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.