obitoftheday:

Obit of the Day: U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens

J. Christopher Stevens, who had spent 20 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, died on September 11, 2012 as the result of an attack by Libyan extremists. (As of this time there are conflicting reports as to whether he was killed in the consulate or in while in a car escaping from the consulate.) Stevens was appointed as Libyan ambassador in May 2012.

Stevens joined the the State Department’s diplomatic core in 1991 and served primarily within the Middle East beginning as the Deputy Principal officer and Political Section Chief in Jerusalem. He would also serve in Cairo, Egypt and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

He would serve some time on Capitol Hill, as well, working with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

Stevens was first sent to Libya in 2007 as Deputy Chief of Mission and served for two years. In March 2011 he was named U.S. representative to the National Transitional Council that worked to move Libya from rule by General Muammar Qadaffi to a more democratic system of government. The Council was based in Benghazi.

On the official page of the U.S. Embassy to Libya, Chris Stevens “considers himself fortunate to participate in this incredible period of change and hope for Libya.”

Note: Stevens was fluent in French and Arabic, skills he honed while serving in the Peace Corps in Morocco in the 1980s.

Sources: LA Times, Wikipedia, http://libya.usembassy.gov/, yahoo.com

Five other U.S. Ambassadors were killed/assassinated while in service to the United States:

Adolph Dubs, in Afghanistan, 1979

Francis E. Meloy Jr., in Lebanon, 1976

Rodger P. Davies, in Cyprus, 1974

Cleo A. Noel Jr., in Sudan, 1973

John Gordon Mein, in Guatemala, 1968

RIP, sir.