List of ambassadors of the United States to Afghanistan

Last updated

Ambassador of the United States to Afghanistan
US Department of State official seal.svg
Seal of the United States Department of State
Karen B. Decker.jpg
since August 1, 2022
United States Department of State
Afghan Affairs Unit at U.S. Embassy Doha
Reports to United States Secretary of State
Seat Doha, Qatar
Appointer President of the United States
with advice and consent of the Senate
Term length At the pleasure of the President
Inaugural holder William H. Hornibrook
(as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary)
Formation
  • May 4, 1935 (1935-05-04) (original)
  • December 17, 2001 (2001-12-17) (current form)
Website Official website
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul, 2010 US Embassy in Kabul on July 4th 2010.jpg
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul, 2010

The United States ambassador to Afghanistan is the official diplomatic representative of the United States to Afghanistan. In the wake of the 2021 fall of Kabul to the Taliban, the U.S. embassy in Kabul transferred operations to Doha, Qatar. Since December 31, 2021, the U.S. interests section at the Embassy of Qatar in Kabul has served as the protecting power for the U.S. in Afghanistan.

Contents

The United States recognized Afghanistan, then under the rule of King Amānullāh, on July 26, 1921. Diplomatic relations were established in 1935. The first ambassador appointed to Afghanistan was William H. Hornibrook, who was concurrently commissioned to Persia, as Iran was known then, and resided in Tehran. Until 1942, the U.S. ambassador to Persia/Iran was also the ambassador to Afghanistan. The U.S. legation at Kabul was established on June 6, 1942, with Charles W. Thayer as chargé d’affaires ad interim. Cornelius Van Hemert Engert presented his credentials to the government of Afghanistan on July 2, 1942, as the first envoy solely accredited to Afghanistan. [1]

Ambassador Adolph Dubs was assassinated in a botched kidnapping attempt in 1979. For the next ten years, no ambassador was appointed; only a series of chargés d’affaires represented the U.S. in Kabul. The embassy at Kabul was closed on January 30, 1989, due to concerns that the new regime would not be able to maintain security and protect diplomats following the final departure of Soviet forces from the country. [1]

Following the overthrow of the Taliban government, the U.S. liaison office in Kabul opened on December 17, 2001, with Ambassador James Dobbins serving as director. The United States recognized the Afghan Interim Administration on December 22, 2001, when it assumed the authority to represent Afghanistan in its external relations. The embassy reopened on January 17, 2002, with Ryan Crocker as chargé d’affaires a.i. [1]

Ambassadors and chiefs of mission

#NameTitleAppointed Presented credentials Terminated missionNotes
1 William H. Hornibrook – Political appointee [2] Envoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiaryJanuary 22, 1935May 4, 1935Left Tehran March 16, 1936The names of the chargés heading the Afghanistan mission between Hornibrook’s departure in 1936 and the arrival of Dreyfus in 1941 have not been recorded.
2 Louis G. Dreyfus, Jr. – Career FSO [2] Envoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiaryFebruary 16, 1940May 19, 1941Superseded by establishment of legation in Kabul, July 25, 1942Legation Kabul was opened June 6, 1942 with Charles W. Thayer as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.
3 Cornelius Van Hemert Engert – Career FSOEnvoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiaryMay 2, 1942July 2, 1942Left post August 17, 1945
4 Ely Palmer – Career FSOEnvoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiaryFebruary 9, 1945December 6, 1945Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryDuring Palmer’s tenure as envoy, the Legation was elevated to Embassy status on June 5, 1948, when Palmer presented his credentials to the Afghan government.
4 Ely Palmer – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMay 6, 1948June 5, 1948Left post November 18, 1948
5 Louis G. Dreyfus, Jr. – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryApril 21, 1949August 16, 1949Left post January 19, 1951
6 George Robert Merrell – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryApril 19, 1951June 28, 1951Left post May 3, 1952
7 Angus I. Ward – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJune 27, 1952November 8, 1952Left post March 3, 1956
8 Sheldon T. Mills – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMarch 28, 1956May 6, 1956Left post February 3, 1959
9 Henry A. Byroade – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJanuary 29, 1959March 21, 1959Left post January 19, 1962
10 John M. Steeves – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryFebruary 7, 1962March 20, 1962Left post July 21, 1966
11 Robert G. Neumann – Political appointeeAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryNovember 3, 1966February 19, 1967Left post September 10, 1973
12 Theodore L. Eliot, Jr. – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiarySeptember 20, 1973November 21, 1973Left post June 14, 1978
13 Adolph Dubs – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJune 27, 1978July 12, 1978Assassinated at post February 14, 1979
- J. Bruce Amstutz – Career FSOChargé d’Affaires a.i.February 14, 1979February 1980
- Hawthorne Q. Mills – Career FSOChargé d’Affaires a.i.February 1980January 1982
- Charles Franklin Dunbar – Career FSOChargé d’Affaires a.i.January 1982June 1983
- Edward Hurwitz – Career FSOChargé d’Affaires a.i.June 1983March 1986
- James Maurice Ealum Chargé d’Affaires a.i.March 1986September 1987
- Jon D. Glassman Chargé d’Affaires a.i.September 1987January 30, 1989
Peter Tomsen served as Special Envoy to Afghanistan (to the Northern Alliance) 1989–1992. The U.S. embassy in Kabul closed in January 1989. The embassy reopened on January 17, 2002. [1]
- James F. Dobbins – Career FSOAmbassador (in charge of reestablishing U.S. Embassy)December 17, 2001January 2, 2002
- Ryan Crocker – Career FSOChargé d’Affaires a.i.January 2, 2002 [3] UnknownApril 3, 2002
14 Robert Finn – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMarch 21, 2002April 3, 2002Left post August 1, 2004
15 Zalmay Khalilzad – Political appointeeAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryAugust 17, 2004September 28, 2004Left post June 20, 2005
16 Ronald E. Neumann – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJune 27, 2005August 1, 2005Left post April 10, 2007
17 William Braucher Wood – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMarch 28, 2007April 16, 2007April 9, 2009
18 Karl Eikenberry – Political appointeeAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryApril 3, 2009May 21, 2009July 25, 2011
19 Ryan Crocker – Career FSO [4] [5] Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJuly 7, 2011 [6] July 25, 2011 [7] July 13, 2012
20 James B. Cunningham - Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryAugust 2012, Sworn in as ambassador August 12, 2012.August 13, 2012 [8] December 7, 2014
21 P. Michael McKinley - Career FSO [9] Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryDecember 2014January 6, 2015 [10] December 18, 2016
- Hugo Llorens Career Ambassador and Special Chargé d’AffairesDecember 19, 2016November 17, 2017
22 John R. Bass Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiarySeptember 28, 2017December 12, 2017January 6, 2020 [11]
- Ross Wilson Chargé d’Affaires [12] January 18, 2020August 31, 2021
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul transferred operations to Doha, Qatar, on August 31, 2021, following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. [13] [14] Since December 31, the U.S. Interests Section at the Embassy of Qatar in Kabul has served as the protecting power for the U.S. in Afghanistan. [15]
- Ian McCary Chargé d’AffairesAugust 31, 2021 [16] [17] [18] July 31, 2022
- Karen B. Decker Chargé d’AffairesAugust 1, 2022 [19] Incumbent

Notes

    See also

    Related Research Articles

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    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 "Afghanistan". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2011-07-17.
    2. 1 2 Also accredited to Iran.
    3. ↑ "Previous U.S. Ambassadors to Afghanistan". U.S. Embassy in Kabul. U.S. Department of State. February 21, 2017. Archived from the original on February 21, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
    4. ↑ "Ryan Crocker Sworn in as New Ambassador to Afghanistan". ABC News Radio. Retrieved 2011-07-17.
    5. ↑ "Public Schedule for July 7, 2011". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2011-07-17.
    6. ↑ Sworn in as ambassador July 7, 2011. As of July 17, not yet acceded to post.
    7. ↑ "Ambassador Crocker Presents Credentials". United States Department of State, U.S. Embassy Kabul. July 25, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
    8. ↑ "Ambassador James B. Cunningham Presents Credentials". August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
    9. ↑ "Ambassador". Embassy of the United States Kabul, Afghanistan. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
    10. ↑ "Press Releases 2015". Embassy of the United States Kabul, Afghanistan. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
    11. ↑ "US ambassador to Afghanistan leaving post in 'long-planned' departure". 6 January 2020.
    12. ↑ "Chargé d'Affaires Ross Wilson". U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
    13. ↑ Jakes, Lara (30 August 2021). "In a final blow of the 20-year war, U.S. envoys close their embassy and exit Kabul". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2 April 2022.
    14. ↑ U.S. Embassy in Kabul (31 August 2021). "Security Message: Suspension of Operations" . Retrieved 2 April 2022.
    15. ↑ Beitsch, Rebecca; Rai, Sarakshi (12 November 2021). "Qatar to formally represent US interests in Afghanistan". The Hill . Retrieved 3 April 2022.
    16. ↑ Lippman, Daniel; Ward, Alexander (9 September 2021). "Top U.S. diplomat during Kabul evacuation tests positive for Covid". Politico . Retrieved 3 April 2022.
    17. ↑ Kelemen, Michele (3 September 2021). "Blinken Will Visit Qatar, Where Diplomats Relocated To Keep Working On Afghanistan". NPR . Retrieved 3 April 2022.
    18. ↑ "U.N. and U.S. raise concern over reports of Afghan journalist arrests". Reuters . 18 March 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
    19. ↑ Our ambassador US Embassy
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