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| Chris Stevens: career diplomat feted for his understanding and empathy | Chris Stevens: career diplomat feted for his understanding and empathy |
| (7 months later) | |
| Chris Stevens, the US ambassador to Libya killed in the Benghazi embassy attack, sent an email to friends a couple of months ago commenting on how very different life in Tripoli was than his time there as a more junior diplomat in the Gaddafi years. | Chris Stevens, the US ambassador to Libya killed in the Benghazi embassy attack, sent an email to friends a couple of months ago commenting on how very different life in Tripoli was than his time there as a more junior diplomat in the Gaddafi years. |
| "The whole atmosphere has changed for the better," he wrote. "People smile more and are much more open with foreigners. Americans, French and British are enjoying unusual popularity. Let's hope it lasts!" | "The whole atmosphere has changed for the better," he wrote. "People smile more and are much more open with foreigners. Americans, French and British are enjoying unusual popularity. Let's hope it lasts!" |
| After two decades serving as a US diplomat in the Arab world and North Africa, Stevens was in the unusual position of a posting where Americans were feted by many ordinary people as being on the right side even if, as the email suggested, he remained firmly realistic about the difficulties of building a new Libya. | After two decades serving as a US diplomat in the Arab world and North Africa, Stevens was in the unusual position of a posting where Americans were feted by many ordinary people as being on the right side even if, as the email suggested, he remained firmly realistic about the difficulties of building a new Libya. |
| Yet it is a reflection of what friends and colleagues describe as Stevens' personal integrity as well as his diplomatic skills that after a history of postings where US policy has fallen short of proclaimed American values – from Jerusalem and Cairo to Damascus and Riyadh – he won friends in those places who came to trust him even if they didn't trust his government. | Yet it is a reflection of what friends and colleagues describe as Stevens' personal integrity as well as his diplomatic skills that after a history of postings where US policy has fallen short of proclaimed American values – from Jerusalem and Cairo to Damascus and Riyadh – he won friends in those places who came to trust him even if they didn't trust his government. |
| "I heard about his death when I was on the road and I just pulled over and cried," said Daniel Seidemann, an Israeli lawyer who has long battled the iniquities of the occupation. "We called him the senator. He was capable of expressing empathy with Israelis and Palestinians simultaneously in the same room without being one bit maudlin or romantic about it. This was real nobility. There was something of a clarity of vision. He was a humble person without being servile." | "I heard about his death when I was on the road and I just pulled over and cried," said Daniel Seidemann, an Israeli lawyer who has long battled the iniquities of the occupation. "We called him the senator. He was capable of expressing empathy with Israelis and Palestinians simultaneously in the same room without being one bit maudlin or romantic about it. This was real nobility. There was something of a clarity of vision. He was a humble person without being servile." |
| Stevens, 52 – a Californian, a graduate of Berkeley and briefly a trade lawyer – was set on his life's path as a diplomat in the Arab-speaking world after teaching English as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco's Atlas mountains. | Stevens, 52 – a Californian, a graduate of Berkeley and briefly a trade lawyer – was set on his life's path as a diplomat in the Arab-speaking world after teaching English as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco's Atlas mountains. |
| Former colleagues who stayed lifelong friends describe him as unusually at ease with almost everyone and able to express genuine understanding for passionately held views on opposite sides of divides while remaining a firm realist. They said he was often sceptical about policies of the government he served yet firmly regarded the US as a force for good while attempting to nudge policy back in Washington. | Former colleagues who stayed lifelong friends describe him as unusually at ease with almost everyone and able to express genuine understanding for passionately held views on opposite sides of divides while remaining a firm realist. They said he was often sceptical about policies of the government he served yet firmly regarded the US as a force for good while attempting to nudge policy back in Washington. |
| "He believed that the US, and he had a role in this, can have a role in the world and can do good in the world," said Lara Friedman, a close friend of Stevens and former state department colleague who served in Jerusalem, Beirut and Tunis. | "He believed that the US, and he had a role in this, can have a role in the world and can do good in the world," said Lara Friedman, a close friend of Stevens and former state department colleague who served in Jerusalem, Beirut and Tunis. |
| "He believed very much in what he was doing as a foreign service officer. He served in difficult places. He didn't shy away from complicated issues. He made friends wherever he went on all sides of every issue. He was actually interested in the people he was talking to. He met everybody at eye level." | "He believed very much in what he was doing as a foreign service officer. He served in difficult places. He didn't shy away from complicated issues. He made friends wherever he went on all sides of every issue. He was actually interested in the people he was talking to. He met everybody at eye level." |
| Stevens did not shy away from droll and sometimes devastating observations about the Middle East but he was widely regarded as making them from a sympathetic understanding. | Stevens did not shy away from droll and sometimes devastating observations about the Middle East but he was widely regarded as making them from a sympathetic understanding. |
| Among the Facebook messages posted was one from Ezzedine Choukri Fishere, an Egyptian novelist who knew Stevens while serving as a diplomat in Jerusalem: "One of the best people I met, an American who understood and empathized with the Arab predicament." | Among the Facebook messages posted was one from Ezzedine Choukri Fishere, an Egyptian novelist who knew Stevens while serving as a diplomat in Jerusalem: "One of the best people I met, an American who understood and empathized with the Arab predicament." |
| Stevens also had his doubts about those he served at times. | Stevens also had his doubts about those he served at times. |
| A decade ago he headed the political section of the US consulate in East Jerusalem – not an easy task. American diplomats – and British ones for that matter – who see the Israeli-Palestinian situation up close from Jerusalem, often find themselves privately at odds with the strongly pro-Israel positions of their governments. | A decade ago he headed the political section of the US consulate in East Jerusalem – not an easy task. American diplomats – and British ones for that matter – who see the Israeli-Palestinian situation up close from Jerusalem, often find themselves privately at odds with the strongly pro-Israel positions of their governments. |
| Seidemann, who counted Stevens as a close friend, described him as having an "ironic" take on the situation. | Seidemann, who counted Stevens as a close friend, described him as having an "ironic" take on the situation. |
| "He had great familiarity with the details but never missing the big picture. Knowing that he was representing his government, even though he wasn't always entirely comfortable with its policies, and doing it splendidly," he said. | "He had great familiarity with the details but never missing the big picture. Knowing that he was representing his government, even though he wasn't always entirely comfortable with its policies, and doing it splendidly," he said. |
| "He knew that Israelis and Palestinians were not blessed with Scandinavian temperaments and didn't let that affect his ability to engage them and engage empathetically. But he was not in any way operating in the world of delusion. He knew exactly what he was dealing with." | "He knew that Israelis and Palestinians were not blessed with Scandinavian temperaments and didn't let that affect his ability to engage them and engage empathetically. But he was not in any way operating in the world of delusion. He knew exactly what he was dealing with." |
| Stevens' doubts extended to the war in Iraq. He turned down a posting there because of his disagreement with what he regarded as the neoconservative-driven conflict. | Stevens' doubts extended to the war in Iraq. He turned down a posting there because of his disagreement with what he regarded as the neoconservative-driven conflict. |
| In Jerusalem, Stevens was also known as a generous host who, unusually for a diplomat, had a wide circle of friends beyond the rarefied confines of the embassy world. Yet for all his openness, he was discreet about his private life. | In Jerusalem, Stevens was also known as a generous host who, unusually for a diplomat, had a wide circle of friends beyond the rarefied confines of the embassy world. Yet for all his openness, he was discreet about his private life. |
| He was the natural choice as the American liaison with the Libyan rebels once Washington made the decision to embrace the uprising last year having served in Tripoli in the Gaddafi years. Stevens arrived in the de facto rebel capital, Benghazi, in the midst of the uprising and made his way to a hotel where the leaders of the uprising were meeting a delegation of African peacemakers who were trying to press a ceasefire. | He was the natural choice as the American liaison with the Libyan rebels once Washington made the decision to embrace the uprising last year having served in Tripoli in the Gaddafi years. Stevens arrived in the de facto rebel capital, Benghazi, in the midst of the uprising and made his way to a hotel where the leaders of the uprising were meeting a delegation of African peacemakers who were trying to press a ceasefire. |
| A large, well-armed crowd had gathered outside to make it known to the Africans that there would be no deal that kept Gadaffi in power and that they were not welcome. | A large, well-armed crowd had gathered outside to make it known to the Africans that there would be no deal that kept Gadaffi in power and that they were not welcome. |
| Stevens stood at a window looking out on the scene and said that in his days serving in Tripoli he had never imagined such a thing could happen. He appeared to be genuinely excited and moved at the Libyan people's struggle to liberate themselves from a dictatorship that for the few years previously had been supported by the US and Britain. | Stevens stood at a window looking out on the scene and said that in his days serving in Tripoli he had never imagined such a thing could happen. He appeared to be genuinely excited and moved at the Libyan people's struggle to liberate themselves from a dictatorship that for the few years previously had been supported by the US and Britain. |
| With the revolution over, Stevens was named as ambassador to Libya in May. Friedman said he was excited at the prospect. | With the revolution over, Stevens was named as ambassador to Libya in May. Friedman said he was excited at the prospect. |
| "He'd been through the whole war. He knew how complicated the politics were and how complicated the future was going to be and he was excited to be going out there," she said. "I attended his confirmation hearing and he believed his service there could make a difference for the people and for America's role there. I don't think I would ever use the word cynical to describe Chris." | "He'd been through the whole war. He knew how complicated the politics were and how complicated the future was going to be and he was excited to be going out there," she said. "I attended his confirmation hearing and he believed his service there could make a difference for the people and for America's role there. I don't think I would ever use the word cynical to describe Chris." |
| Stevens recorded a video in Washington introducing himself to the Libyan people. | Stevens recorded a video in Washington introducing himself to the Libyan people. |
| "I had the honour to serve as the US envoy to the Libyan opposition during the revolution, and I was thrilled to watch the Libyan people stand up and demand their rights. Now I am excited to return to Libya to continue the great work we started," he said in the video. | "I had the honour to serve as the US envoy to the Libyan opposition during the revolution, and I was thrilled to watch the Libyan people stand up and demand their rights. Now I am excited to return to Libya to continue the great work we started," he said in the video. |
| Seidemann said that for all Stevens' expression of hope, he did not lose sight of the challenges or dangers. | Seidemann said that for all Stevens' expression of hope, he did not lose sight of the challenges or dangers. |
| "He knew exactly where he was going when he took on this posting in Libya," said Seidemann. "He had no illusions. He knew he would be in harm's way and he didn't think twice about it." | "He knew exactly where he was going when he took on this posting in Libya," said Seidemann. "He had no illusions. He knew he would be in harm's way and he didn't think twice about it." |
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