Robert Stephen Ford

Robert Stephen Ford (born 1958 ) is an American career diplomat and currently serves as the United States Ambassador in Syria. Previously, he was from 2006 to 2008 U.S. Ambassador to Algeria.

Life

Ford grew up in Denver and then moved to Maryland. At the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University, where he graduated in 1983, his Master of Arts. Ford speaks German, Turkish, French and Arabic. Ford is married to the diplomat Alison Barkley.

Ford joined the Foreign Service in 1985 and worked in Izmir, Cairo, Algiers, and Yaoundé. From 2001 to 2004 Ford served as Deputy Chief of U.S. Mission in Bahrain from 2004 to 2006 as a Counselor in the U.S. Embassy Baghdad, where he returned in 2008 as an envoy.

Prior to President George W. Bush had nominated him on 13 April 2006 as an ambassador for Algeria. The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination on May 27. Ford made ​​his oath of office on August 11.

2010 Ford was nominated as the first U.S. ambassador to Syria in five years. After the Senate had not responded to Ford's nomination, President Obama used a recess appointment in December 2010.

In October 2011, he was brought back for safety reasons in the United States.