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McFaul to quit as U.S. Russia ambassador after conclusion of Sochi Olympic Games McFaul to quit as U.S. Russia ambassador after conclusion of Sochi Olympic Games
(35 minutes later)
SOCHI, Russia — U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul, the architect of President Obama’s effort to reset American relations with Russia, said Tuesday he would leave his post at the conclusion of the Olympics to return to Stanford University.SOCHI, Russia — U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul, the architect of President Obama’s effort to reset American relations with Russia, said Tuesday he would leave his post at the conclusion of the Olympics to return to Stanford University.
McFaul, who has been ambassador for two years, said he was resigning to rejoin his family, who returned to California in the fall so that his older son could finish his high school years at home.McFaul, who has been ambassador for two years, said he was resigning to rejoin his family, who returned to California in the fall so that his older son could finish his high school years at home.
“We tried to make a [5,600-mile] commute work for our family,” he wrote in a blog post. “But after seven months of separation, I simply need to be with my family again.”“We tried to make a [5,600-mile] commute work for our family,” he wrote in a blog post. “But after seven months of separation, I simply need to be with my family again.”
McFaul, well-known for his extensive use of Twitter and other social media, titled his blog post, “It’s Time, My Friend, It’s Time.” Writing in Russian and English, he said he had promised his older son that he would be away from his California school for two years. McFaul, well-known for his extensive use of Twitter and other social media, titled his blog post: “It’s Time, My Friend, It’s Time.”
“After five years away, first in Washington and then Moscow,” he wrote, “he wanted to go home for his last years of high school. We all agreed that it was in his best interest to return, and that decision turned out to be the right one.” Writing in Russian and English, he said he initially had promised his older son that the youth would be away from California for only two years.
“After five years away, first in Washington and then Moscow,” McFaul wrote, “he wanted to go home for his last years of high school. We all agreed that it was in his best interest to return, and that decision turned out to be the right one.”
[Read: How McFaul has gotten his message out][Read: How McFaul has gotten his message out]
McFaul, 50, arrived in Moscow as Russian ambassador in January 2012, deeply experienced in the region, appreciative of the culture and carrying heavy, unwelcome baggage. Before coming to Russia, he served on the National Security Council as Obama’s chief Russia adviser. Before that, he was a Stanford University professor, writing extensively on democracy in this part of the world.McFaul, 50, arrived in Moscow as Russian ambassador in January 2012, deeply experienced in the region, appreciative of the culture and carrying heavy, unwelcome baggage. Before coming to Russia, he served on the National Security Council as Obama’s chief Russia adviser. Before that, he was a Stanford University professor, writing extensively on democracy in this part of the world.
That academic background was enough for President Vladimir Putin and other officials to consider McFaul a provocateur. He was greeted with suspicion, with one Russian political scientist writing that McFaul had been sent by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to promote revolution and encourage unwelcome democratic initiatives.That academic background was enough for President Vladimir Putin and other officials to consider McFaul a provocateur. He was greeted with suspicion, with one Russian political scientist writing that McFaul had been sent by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to promote revolution and encourage unwelcome democratic initiatives.
McFaul was followed by hostile television crews, who harassed not only him but also the people he met with if those people happened to be involved with the human rights movement or the political opposition. McFaul continued his efforts, for the most part maintaining good humor, except for one encounter where he told a particularly aggressive pack that they represented a “wild” country. McFaul was followed by hostile television crews, who harassed not only him but also the people he met with if those people happened to be involved with the human rights movement or the political opposition.
“For the immediate future, my base of operations will be Stanford University,” he wrote. “But a part of me — an emotional part, an intellectual part, a spiritual part — will always remain in Russia. That was true before I joined the government. It will remain so forever after.” The ambassador continued his efforts, for the most part maintaining good humor, except for one encounter where he told a particularly aggressive pack that they represented a “wild” country.
In a statement, deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said McFaul “has been tireless in advocating for the universal values that America stands for around the world, reaching out to civil society, and recognizing the right of every voice to be heard.” Obama, Rhodes said, is “deeply grateful” for McFaul’s efforts.
“For the immediate future, my base of operations will be Stanford University,” McFaul wrote in his blog post. “But a part of me — an emotional part, an intellectual part, a spiritual part — will always remain in Russia. That was true before I joined the government. It will remain so forever after.”