Alberto Fernandez (United States Official)

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Alberto Fernandez (sometimes Alberto M. Fernandez), is the director of the office of press and public diplomacy in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the United States Department of State. As one of the few to speak fluent Arabic at the U.S. State Department, he has become the mouthpiece for U.S. policy in the Middle East. A Newsweek profile pegged him as averaging about 200 interviews a year. (An example dialogue/interview.[1]

In an interview on Al-Jazeera on October 21st, 2006 he asserted that "I think there is great room for strong criticism, because without doubt, there was arrogance and stupidity by the United States in Iraq." His comments were widely reported in the US and international press.

The State Department initially reacted by denying that he had made the comments, claiming that they had been "mistranslated." After independent translators confirmed the translation as being correct, a press release issued by the State Department quoted an apology from Fernandez: "Upon reading the transcript of my appearance on Al-Jazeera, I realized that I seriously misspoke by using the phrase 'there has been arrogance and stupidity' by the U.S. in Iraq. This represents neither my views nor those of the State Department. I apologize".[2]

Fernandez is fluent in Arabic (4/3+), Spanish (5/5) and English, is married and has two sons.[3]

[edit] Timeline

  • 1958 - born Havana, Cuba
  • 1959 - arrived in USA as refugee
  • 1976 - serves in US Army and Reserves till 1981.
  • 1981 - receives BA in Middle East Studies from the University of Arizona.
  • 1983 - MA in Middle East Studies from the University of Arizona. Joined the United States Information Agency. Served as a a Junior Officer in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
  • 1986 - Press Attaché at the US Embassy in Managua, Nicaragua.
  • 1988 - Public Affairs Officer at US Embassy in Kuwait.
  • 1990 - Country Affairs Officer for Egypt, Yemen, and Sudan in the USIA/NEA Area Office, Washington DC.
  • 1993 - Public Affairs Counselor in Damascus, Syria.
  • 1996 - Public Affairs Counselor in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
  • 1999 - Public Affairs Counselor in Amman, Jordan.
  • 2002 - Public Affairs Counselor in Kabul, Afganistan.
  • 2004 - stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afganistan on a 2 year posting.[4] (possible conflict between references on Kabul posting dates)
  • 2005 July - appointed Director for Public Diplomacy for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.
  • 2006 October - Apologises for "US arrogance and stupidity in Iraq" comments.
  • 2006 November - wins the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy.[5]

[edit] Sources

  1. ^ IslamonLine.net(2006).A text of a interview/dialogue. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
  2. ^ BBC(2006).US official retracts Iraq remarks. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
  3. ^ islamonline.net(2006).Live Dialogue - Guest CV. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
  4. ^ Miami Herald(2006).Amber Baskette and Alberto Fernandez of Hialeah, Florida. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
  5. ^ foxnews.com(2006).Special Report w/ Brit Hume. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
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