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Africa Horn
Obama's pick to be US ambassador to Somalia withdraws
2015-05-13
WASHINGTON – President Obama's pick to be the first U.S. ambassador to Somalia in nearly 25 years is withdrawing her nomination. An administration official says Katherine Simonds Dhanani is turning down the nomination for personal reasons.
She was hoping to be ambassador to Mauritania...
The U.S. Embassy closed in 1991 when Somalia's government collapsed in civil war. The State Department had planned to post Dhanani, once confirmed by the Senate, in neighboring Kenya until security conditions would permit the embassy in Mogadishu to reopen.

Last week, John Kerry became the first secretary of state to visit Somalia in a move to deepen ties. He cast the move toward restoring the ambassadorship as a "recognition of the progress made and the promise to come."
Posted by:Steve White

#11  What the hell did the Somalia children do to you Airandee?
Posted by: CrazyFool   2015-05-13 20:24  

#10  Send Moocelle O to Somalia. And then next year She can declare her diet program for schools kids in Somalia a success.
Posted by: Airandee   2015-05-13 20:06  

#9  I think you nailed it at #8. I'm at page 63 of Nick Turse's 'Tomorrow's Battlefield. She probably knows as much of the Afrika story of gloom as anyone else.
Posted by: Besoeker   2015-05-13 16:36  

#8  Career diplomat; 20+ years in Foreign Service with five tours in Africa. Perhaps she wished to finish her career while still breathing on a quiet note.
Posted by: Pappy   2015-05-13 15:35  

#7  "Don't worry. We will provide you with our highest level of security, like in Benghazi"
Posted by: Frank G   2015-05-13 14:51  

#6  maybe he should nominate Holder....
confirmation could be entertaining: as soon as you answer these F and F questions, sir we will get on with the vote.....
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2015-05-13 14:42  

#5  An administration official says Katherine Simonds Dhanani is turning down the nomination for personal reasons.

Personally, I don't wanna get shot...
Posted by: tu3031   2015-05-13 13:19  

#4  Oprah! Oprah!
Posted by: 2sealys   2015-05-13 08:40  

#3  Oprah! Oprah! Do it for the skinnies!
Posted by: Spik   2015-05-13 08:39  

#2  Took her just long enough to read the Wikipedia article on Somalia, and she decides she needs to wash her hair that night.
Posted by: ed in texas   2015-05-13 08:05  

#1  She thought being an ambassador was a great idea.

I wonder what she did to piss off Ms. Obama to get the Somali gig?

So you can go to Leavenworth for 20 years for tax fraud or you can go to Somalia as the US ambassador...sounds fair.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2015-05-13 07:55  

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