Robert F. Godec

Robert F. Godec
United States Ambassador to Kenya
Assumed office
2012
Preceded by Scott Gration
United States Ambassador to Tunisia
In office
2006–2009
Preceded by William J. Hudson
Succeeded by Gordon Gray
Personal details
Born 1957
Nationality American
Spouse(s) Lori G. Magnusson
Alma mater University of Virginia
Yale University
Occupation Career FSO

Robert F. Godec is an American career diplomat. He is a Minister Counselor in the Senior Foreign Service and since 2012 has been the United States ambassador to Kenya. From 2006 to 2009 he was ambassador to Tunisia.[1][2][3]

Wikileaks

In December 2010 a number of classified diplomatic cables written by Godec from Tunisia in 2008 and 2009[4] were released by WikiLeaks and published by Al Akhbar in Beirut.[5] Many of them were highly critical of the public and personal life of the Tunisian president, Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, and his family. Godec mentioned high-level corruption, a "sclerotic" regime, and deep dislike or even hatred for the president's wife, Leila Trabelsi, and her family.[5] There were later suggestions in the press that his comments could have fuelled the Tunisian Revolution, which began in December 2010 and led to the flight of Ben Ali to Saudi Arabia in January 2011.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Matt Bewig ([n.d.]) U.S. ambassador to Kenya: Who is Robert Godec?. AllGov.com. Accessed 13 March 2015.
  2. ↑ Ambassador Robert F. Godec. Embassy of the United States, Nairobi, Kenya. Accessed 13 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Robert F. Godec: U.S. Ambassador to Kenya. Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, for the U.S. Department of State. Accessed 13 March 2015
  4. ↑ [Robert Godec] (7 December 2010). US embassy cables: Tunisia - a US foreign policy conundrum. The Guardian. Accessed March 2015.
  5. 1 2 Ian Black (7 December 2010). WikiLeaks cables: Tunisia blocks site reporting 'hatred' of first lady. The Guardian. Accessed March 2015.
  6. ↑ [s.n.] (15 January 2011). Wikileaks might have triggered Tunis’ revolution. Dubai: Al Arabiya News. Accessed March 2015.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
William J. Hudson		 United States Ambassador to Tunisia
2006 – 2009 		Succeeded by
Gordon Gray
Preceded by
Scott Gration		 United States Ambassador to Kenya
2012 – present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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