By Edward Walker Jr The news reports were sparse, overshadowed by the horrific bombings in London, but no less disturbing to those of us who have been a part of the diplomatic fraternity. Ihab Al-Sherif, the Egyptian ambassador designate in Iraq, was murdered by the scum of the earth, the terrorists who defy their religion and hold no life sacred. These murderers are not "rebels" as the New York Times headline proclaimed. They must never be dignified with a term that implies honour. To paraphrase their braggadocio, it is they who must be punished in this life and condemned to hell in the hereafter, not Mr El-Sherif or his diplomatic colleagues. Mr El-Sherif was a man of courage who served his country and the world in the cause of peace. He represented Egypt in a most difficult post in Israel when relations between Israel and Egypt were often strained. I worked closely with the Egyptian ambassador and his staff when I was serving as the US ambassador to Israel. It was a staff of utmost professional quality that, despite tensions and at times anger at events that occurred, never lost its loyalty to their profession and to the interests of Egypt and peace. Mr El-Sherif exhibited the same kind of courage and professionalism in his approach to his assignment in Iraq. He was the symbol of cooperation. We must salute his memory and courage by persevering in the fight against the terrorists and by supporting our friends in the region who are supporting us in this fight. He died honourably and with distinction. We seldom give thought to diplomats who live under constant threat. Diplomacy is damned hard work and often dangerous. Yet, when diplomats succeed, it can mean that armed forces will not come into harms way. As every diplomat knows, war is not the extension of diplomacy, it is the result of diplomacy's failure. This week's Soapbox speaker is president of the Middle East Institute in Washington. He is a former US ambassador to Egypt, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. He also served as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, 1999-2001.
