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'Differences' With Obama Drive Out Kenya Envoy

J. Scott Gration, a longtime Obama adviser, had called it his 'dream job'

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 29, 2012 8:56 AM CDT

(Newser) – The US ambassador to Kenya resigned today, citing "differences with Washington regarding my leadership style and certain priorities." Former Air Force Major General J. Scott Gration didn't give any more specific reason for his departure, but it comes on the heels of a recent dustup with Nairobi, the Washington Post observes: Last week, the US Embassy warned of a coming terrorist attack in Mombasa, which Kenya objected to, worrying it would hurt tourism.

Gration has a history with President Obama; when Gration worked under NATO’s supreme allied commander he was assigned to brief Obama, a then-senator. He eventually left the military to become an influential Obama campaign adviser. But he was criticized in his last gig, as envoy to Sudan, for being too conciliatory toward Omar al-Bashir. In his 13 months in Kenya, an analyst tells Reuters, he's "been a little gung-ho in his approach," and perhaps too hasty in "pulling out his guns."

Barack Obama meets with then US Envoy for Sudan J. Scott Gration in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, in this March 30, 2009 file photo.
Barack Obama meets with then US Envoy for Sudan J. Scott Gration in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, in this March 30, 2009 file photo.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 13 comments
RidersOnTheStorm
Jun 29, 2012 8:34 PM CDT
Warned about target for drone attack: http://0.tqn.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/i/G/3/obama-kenya-birthplace.jpg
RogerMohajir
Jun 29, 2012 11:54 AM CDT
I don't understand President Obama's obsession with appointing former generals as ambassadors. There is almost no overlap at all between the skill sets and personality traits that make for success in the two wildly divergent professions.
cheongyei
Jun 29, 2012 10:16 AM CDT
The REAL difference of opinion was: The ambassador wanted to release Øbyango's genuine Kenyan birth certificate and the so-called White House would have nothing to do with that.
 

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