President Barack Obama's pick to be the first American
ambassador to Somalia in nearly 25 years has withdrawn her nomination, the
White House told lawmakers on Monday, an unexpected suspension in U.S. plans to
deepen ties with the African nation plagued by violence and instability.
An administration official said Katherine Simonds Dhanani, a
career diplomat with experience serving across Africa, turned down the
nomination for personal reasons and that Obama will have to find another
candidate. The official spoke on a condition of anonymity without authorization
to speak on the record.
The U.S. Embassy closed in 1991 when Somalia's government
collapsed in civil war, prompting the deployment of a U.S.-led U.N.
peacekeeping mission. American troops withdrew from Somalia in 1994, months
after the humiliating “Black Hawk Down” debacle when Somali militiamen shot
down two U.S. helicopters. Read Full Article
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