In a move which could signal a thaw in years of icy relations, President Barack Obama announced today that he intends to appoint Robert Ford as Ambassador to Syria, pending Senate approval.

The appointment, assuming it is approved, will be the first time the US has had an ambassador in Damascus since February 15, 2005, when President Bush withdrew the last ambassador and accused the Syrian government of a role in the assassination of Rafik Hariri.

The move is not unexpected, as last week the Syrian government was said to have approved an administration request to name a new ambassador. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem confirmed that the US had submitted Ford as a candidate.

Ford has been a career member of the Foreign Service, and was the Bush Administration’s Ambassador to Algeria from 2006 to 2008. Before that he served as Political Counselor to the embassy in Baghdad.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz

• Centrifuge Glitch Fuels Latest Iran Scare Stories - May 25th, 2012
• Iraq MPs Push Return to Saddam-Era Conscription Laws - May 25th, 2012
• US Negotiator on Iran to 'Reaffirm Our Unshakeable Commitment to Israel' - May 25th, 2012
• UN: Syria Bombings Likely by 'Established Terrorist Groups' - May 25th, 2012
• Military to Avoid Embarrassing Pictures by Banning Photography - May 25th, 2012