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Bush To Nominate Zalmay Khalilzad As U.N. Ambassador

KhalilzadThat's according to ABC News, via Wizbang's Kim Priestap.  Apparently the President wasn't swayed by Senator Nelson's suggestion of Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns.

A consummate dealmaker, Khalilzad played an active role trying to push the Iraqi government toward political reconciliation. Khalilzad's efforts aliented some in the Shia-dominated Iraqi government who complained that Khalilzad was biased in favor of Iraq's Sunnis. Khalilzad is a Sunni Muslim. Before becoming U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Khalilzad served as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan. Prior to that, he served as a Special Presidential Envoy and Ambassador at Large for the Free Iraqis.

Khalilzad has a bachelor's and a master's degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

As Kim unearthed, Khalilzad may also rise into a key leadership role within the U.N. under new Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Zalmay Khalilzad, who is currently the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, is being tipped for a top U.N. appointment by the new Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

An Afghan and Muslim by birth, Khalilzad is being considered for the post of Undersecretary General for Political Affairs, one of the most powerful jobs in the U.N., that usually goes to a British diplomat, according to reliable sources in Washington and New York.

For sake of his confirmation prognosis, let's hope Khalilzad is more respectful of the sublime infallibility (a fine example of which is on display today) of the august body than was his predecessor.

Elsewhere:  Khalilzad's Wiki page, which (not surprisingly) is already updated with news of the prospective nomination.

Previously:  Tyranny Of the Outgoing Minority


Update:  ABC News also reports that Bush will seek to make three high-level military and intelligence personnel changes:  1) replacing General John Abizaid at Central Command with current head of Pacific Command Admiral William J. Fallon, 2) replacing General George Casey as Multi-National Force Iraq commander with Lieutenant General David Petraeus, and 3) tapping former NSA director, retired Vice Admiral Mike McConnell to succeed John Negroponte as Director of National Intelligence, as Negroponte moves into the #2 role at the State Department.

“The president wants a clean sweep” an official told ABC News.

Handcrafted by Flip on January 4, 2007 |

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