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“TRIBUTE TO AMBASSADOR RYAN CROCKER” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S2175-S2176 on Feb. 12, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO AMBASSADOR RYAN CROCKER
Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to an American patriot, a man of the finest caliber, and a diplomat whose skills and determination have helped alter history's course for the better.
In a few days, Ambassador Ryan Crocker will depart his post as the chief American diplomat in Iraq. His departure will mark the close of a storied career, one of nearly 40 years of distinguished service to our country. In dedicating his career to furthering America's interests and ideals in the far reaches of the globe, and in coupling his dedication with a tremendously adventurous spirit, Ryan Crocker has become known informally as our own ``Lawrence of Arabia.''
As a young man in Walla Walla, WA, Ryan Crocker decided to depart not for the beaches of southern California but, rather, abroad, hitchhiking from western Europe to Southeast Asia. By the time he graduated from Whitman College in 1971, Ambassador Crocker had already visited more of the world than most Americans will throughout their lifetimes. His extensive travel and interest in global politics and culture led him to join the Foreign Service in 1971.
Ambassador Crocker quickly developed a reputation for incredible dedication in the face of challenges. From his early days at the State Department, he was assigned to some of the most difficult posts in the Foreign Service. He worked in Iran, Qatar, Egypt, and in Saddam Hussein's Iraq. He was in the Embassy in Beirut in 1983, when a Hezbollah suicide bomber killed 63 people. Thrown against the wall by the blast, Ambassador Crocker immediately began helping others escape the rubble.
He went on to serve as Ambassador to Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Pakistan, and Iraq. During his time in Damascus, demonstrators assaulted his residence and, in 2002, he reopened the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, which had been untouched by Americans since 1989. A newspaper account illustrates the spirit that animates this selfless patriot:
He arrived to find a cobweb-strewn wreck full of 1989 newspapers, broken Wang computers and maps of the old Soviet Union. U.S. Marines outnumbered diplomats by 3 to 1, and all 100 Americans slept on cots and shared two working toilets. Yet Crocker was upbeat. ``The men and women of this mission are extremely proud to be a forward element,'' Crocker told
[Secretary of State] Powell at the time.
Throughout all these assignments, Ryan Crocker has approached his work with resolve, tenacity, and a unique ability to see the broader strategic issues in play. Had he never gone to lead the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, the American people would owe him deep gratitude. Had he not accepted the challenge in Baghdad, he would have nevertheless won the sincere appreciation and admiration of all Senators. Yet it was in his decision to become America's Ambassador to Iraq that Ryan Crocker has left his true mark on history, and we are all the better off for it.
He was sworn in not here in Washington, as is customary, but in Baghdad, and in March 2007, as the surge of troops to Iraq was commencing, GEN David Petraeus had taken over as commander, and our Nation was making its greatest, and possibly final, push to avoid disaster in Iraq. Let us remember that in 2007, as public support for the war plummeted, we in Congress were engaged in a great debate about the way forward in Iraq. Sectarian violence was spiraling out of control, life had become a struggle for survival, and a full-scale civil war seemed almost unavoidable. Al-Qaida in Iraq was on the offensive and entire Iraqi provinces were under the control of extremists. Noting that ``here in Iraq, America faces its most critical foreign policy challenge,'' Ambassador Crocker did not sugarcoat the situation or present an overly rosy scenario. He never does. He stressed just how hard the path ahead would be but stressed also that it was not impossible. As he would later testify before the Armed Services Committee, ``hard does not mean hopeless.''
It was this combination--cold-eyed appraisal of the reality of Iraq combined with hope that things could change for the better--that was so refreshing every time I visited Baghdad. In a true partnership with General Petraeus, Ambassador Crocker executed a civil military counterinsurgency plan for Iraq that turned the tide of violence in a timeframe and to a degree that surprised even the optimists. He ensured unprecedented cooperation between the military, the Embassy, and our allies. His decades of experience in the Middle East proved invaluable as he navigated an increasingly complex and contentious regional dynamic. His efforts, in coordination with the brave men and women of the military and State Department, are the reason we find ourselves in a situation many thought was not possible.
Ryan Crocker's determination to succeed in a situation where many would have failed should inspire us all. Yet any who have followed the career of this skilled and extraordinary diplomat shouldn't be surprised. His creative and pragmatic approach to diplomacy has earned respect both at home and abroad. His list of awards and achievements is long and distinguished, including the Presidential Meritorious Service Award, the State Department Distinguished Honor Award, the American Foreign Service Association Rivkin Award, and most recently the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian commendation.
I am immensely grateful for the enormous contributions that Ambassador Crocker has made to the Department of State, to our Nation, and the people of Iraq. As he departs Baghdad, he will be sorely missed. We wish Ambassador Crocker and his family all the best as he enters the next chapter of his life. He has earned the respect and admiration of a grateful nation.
I have had the great honor for many years to travel the world and encounter many of our wonderful Foreign Service personnel and the men and women who serve in posts throughout the world. They serve with dedication and most of the time without the appreciation they deserve. I have been so impressed with the people who have dedicated their lives to serving this Nation all around the world, in many cases in the most difficult of circumstances. I know of no one I have met in my life who epitomizes public service more than Ryan Crocker; a quiet demeanor, modesty, and, frankly, a knowledge of the issues and the complexities which would take many hours to describe that prevail in the Middle East.
Ryan Crocker came at a seminal time to the Embassy in Baghdad, and in partnership with one of our great military leaders, General Petraeus--a true and equal partnership--those two individuals changed the course of history. Many in this body at that time had believed there was no hope for Iraq and that the situation could not be salvaged. Because of Ryan Crocker, David Petraeus, and many others, with their leadership we have just witnessed an election taking place in Iraq that was virtually without incident.
Ambassador Crocker will be the first to tell us there is a long way to go in Iraq. There are many challenges ahead, but we do have an ally, a democratic nation, and the hope of a society free of the oppression and repression that unfortunately has characterized the situation in Iraq for centuries.
So, again, I know in the future young Americans who serve this country will continue to be inspired by the performance and the dedication of Ryan Crocker. We will miss him. We will miss him enormously, but I know he will continue to serve this country in any way possible for as long as he lives. Thank you, Ryan Crocker.
Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is recognized.
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