Funny how these early media outlets trying to get the reader to focus on Sam Jones's past with Haliburton so they can give ole "spotless" Mel a boost into to the top job. :roll:
http://www.infoisrael.net/cgi-local/tex ... /180720051New U.S. Ambassador to Israel to be Named Soon
By Amihai Zippor
The United States will be deciding upon its new ambassador to Israel in the coming days. Ambassador Richard Jones, 54, a professional diplomat from the U.S. State Department, is the leading candidate to replace Dan Kurtzer, who will be finishing his term shortly.
Another leading candidate is Ambassador to Rome Melvin Sembler. Sembler is a leader in the Republican Jewish Coalition and a supporter of President George W. Bush.
Despite being an expert on the Middle East, Jones has no prior experience working with Israel. His ambassadorships include the countries of Lebanon, Kazakhstan and Kuwait.
Ha also ran the State Department?s Office of Egyptian Affairs and served as a Counselor for Political Affairs in the American Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was made a member of Iraq?s provisional government in 2003 and this past February Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made him her advisor on Iraq.
Controversy surrounded Jones while he was ambassador to Kuwait when it was reported he demanded that the Texas-based Halliburton award a lucrative subcontract to a Kuwaiti firm despite evidence that the firm had defrauded the U.S. military.
Halliburton is an Energy Services Group providing technical products and services for oil and gas exploration and production. KBR (Kellog, Brown and Root), a subsidiary of Halliburton, is a major construction company of mainly refineries, oil fields & pipelines, and chemical plants.
In recent years Halliburton and KBR have become the center of many controversies, involving the 2003 Iraq war and the company?s ties to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney.
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Source: Original text contributed by the author, IHC reporter.
Copyright © Israel Hasbara Committee, 18 July 2005.
Permission is granted to use this material on condition the Israel Hasbara Committee is properly credited and that it is not for commercial purposes.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/601107.htmlDiplomatic `pro' mooted to replace U.S. envoy in Israel
By Aluf Benn
Ambassador Richard (Dick) Jones, a professional diplomat from the U.S. State Department, is the leading candidate to replace Dan Kurtzer as America's ambassador to Israel, according to reports transmitted to Jerusalem in recent weeks by the Israeli embassy in Washington.
Kurtzer will be finishing his four-year term in the coming days, but it is not yet clear when Jones will replace him. The U.S. government has not yet requested Israel's formal approval for Jones' appointment.
Jones is considered an expert on the Middle East, though he has never before been involved in relations with Israel. He has served as U.S. ambassador to Lebanon (1996-98), Kazakhstan and Kuwait, run the State Department's Egyptian desk and served as a political counselor in the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh. In late 2003, while serving as ambassador to Kuwait, he was also made a member of Iraq's provisional government, and in February this year, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made him her advisor on Iraq.
Another candidate who had been mentioned for the job was Melvin Sembler, one of the leaders of the Republican Jewish Coalition and a supporter of President George Bush, who is currently America's ambassador to Rome. The choice of Jones indicates that Bush wants a professional rather than a political appointment in Tel Aviv.
Jones, 54, has a doctorate in business administration and statistics. One of his hobbies is unicycle riding. He is married with three children.
