Ryan Crocker

Ryan Clark Crocker (born June 19, 1949) is a Career Ambassador within the United States Foreign Service and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has served as United States Ambassador to Afghanistan (2011 to 2012) and as United States Ambassador to Iraq (2007 to 2009). Prior to those appointments, he was the American Ambassador to Pakistan (2004 to 2007); Syria (1998 to 2001); Kuwait (1994 to 1997); and to Lebanon (1990 to 1993). In January 2010 he became Dean of Texas A&M University's George Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell called Crocker "one of our very best foreign service officers"; President George W. Bush called him America's Lawrence of Arabia and noted that General David Petraeus had said that "it was a great honor for me to be his military wingman."

Early life and career

Crocker was born in Spokane, Washington. Growing up, Crocker had family members in the U.S. Air Force and in Turkey. He lived in Morocco, Canada and Turkey. Crocker attended University College Dublin and Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, where he received a B.A. in English literature in 1971 and was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.