Laurence Pope

Laurence Pope
Laurence Pope (second from right) at the burial service for Major Pope (his father), Arlington National Cemetery, September 15, 2009
16th United States Ambassador to Chad
In office
September 3, 1993 – June 26, 1996
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byRichard Wayne Bogosian
Succeeded byDavid C. Halsted
Chargé d’Affaires of United States in Libya
In office
October 11, 2012 – January 4, 2013
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJ. Christopher Stevens (As Ambassador)
Succeeded byWilliam Roebuck
Personal details
Born
Laurence Everett Pope II

(1945-09-24)September 24, 1945
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
DiedOctober 31, 2020 (aged 75)
Portland, Maine, United States
SpouseElizabeth
ProfessionDiplomat

Laurence Everett Pope II (September 24, 1945 – October 31, 2020) was an American diplomat.[1] He was the United States Ambassador to Chad from 1993 to 1996 and former US Chargé d’Affaires to Libya. Pope held a number of senior posts in the Department of State. He was the Director for Northern Gulf Affairs (1987–1990), Associate Director for Counter-Terrorism (1991–1993), U.S. Ambassador to Chad (1993–1996),[2] and Political Advisor to General Anthony Zinni USMC, Commander-in-Chief of United States Central Command (1997–2000).[3]

In 2000, President Bill Clinton nominated him as Ambassador to Kuwait but his appointment was not confirmed by the Senate.

Ambassador Pope retired from the U.S. Foreign Service on October 2, 2000, after 31 years of service. He continued to consult with various institutions and was a respected arabist. A graduate of Bowdoin College, Pope also had advanced studies at Princeton University and is a graduate of the U.S. Department of State Senior Seminar, a Senior Fellow at the Armed Forces Staff College. He spoked Arabic and French, and resided in Portland, Maine.

Laurence Pope was the eldest son of Medal of Honor recipient Major Everett P. Pope, who was married to Eleanor Pope. He had a brother named Ralph H. Pope.[4]

On Thursday, October 11, 2012, the U.S. Department of State announced that Ambassador Pope had arrived in Tripoli as the U.S Chargé d’Affaires in Libya.[5][6]

On January 4, 2013, the United States embassy in Tripoli announced that William Roebuck arrived in Tripoli as the new Chargé d’Affaires in Libya replacing Pope.[7]

Pope died at his home in Portland, Maine, from pancreatic cancer.[8]

  1. ^ United States Department of State-Announcements
  2. ^ Political Graveyard: Pope Retrieved December 3, 2009
  3. ^ Laurence Pope, Retired Ambassador, United States of America Archived March 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs.
  4. ^ "090915-M-9054G-078". US Department of Defense Current Photos. September 15, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
  5. ^ New US Charge dAffairs starts his work in Libya, Kuwait News Agency.
  6. ^ U.S. picks retired diplomat to serve as envoy in Libya, Reuters.
  7. ^ New U.S. charge d'affaires lands in Libya, UPI.
  8. ^ Bowdoin Magazine-Laurence E. Pope '67