Ambassador Patrick Nickolas Theros is an active promoter of ties between Qatar and the United States of America (US State Department Biographies 2). He became the president and the executive director of the U.S. Qatar Business Council, in March 2000. This was after Theros had served as a US Foreign Service Officer for the period between 1963 and 1999. Some of the positions he held during this period include serving as the U.S. ambassador to the state of Qatar (1995 to 1998), political officer and deputy chief of mission in Amman, economic counselor in Damascus, and deputy chief of mission and charge d’affaires in Abu Dhabi (Washington Business Journal 1).
Theros has also served in diplomatic positions in Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Dharan, Nicaragua, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Managua in almost 34 years. He served as a deputy coordinator for counterterrorism where he coordinated all counterterrorism activities outside the U.S. prior to serving as a diplomatic officer. During his 34 spanning career, Theros received various superior honor awards that included personal rank as a minister counselor, the Presidents’ Meritorious Service award while serving as the Secretary of defense for career officials and Meritorious Civilian Service respectively.
According to the New York Times (3), Theros, who speaks three languages, including Spanish, Arabic and Greek was born in 1941in Ann Arbor. He attended public schools in Michigan, Columbia and Ohio and, in 1963, Theros graduated from Gorgetown University School of Foreign Service (Segell 46). Some of the other tertiary institutions where Thores attained his career education include the Universidad Centroamerican in Managua and the American University in Washington.
Today, Theros is serving as a member in various non-profit making organizations including the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs, the Order of St. Andrew, West Bank-Gaza-Jordan Fund and the Arab American Bankers Association of America among others. He is also a former member of Qatar Foundation International (Theros 2).
Theros chose his career in his tender age while attending public schools in Michigan, Columbia and Ohio. His interest for service as a Foreign Service officer is evident from his choice of career education and pursue for three foreign languages including Spanish, Arabic and Greek. He was employed in various Foreign Service positions that lasted for more than 34 years (Ibp, USA 1). Theros had continuously been interested in a career that was devoted to improving the relations between the U.S. and the Arab world.
Theros was against terrorism activities, thus, he assumed office as the deputy coordinator of counterterrorism, a position that was responsible for coordinating all the United States counterterrorism activities outside the U.S (Theros 76). On November 12, 1995, he presented his credentials for the post of the U.S. ambassador to the state of Qatar and successfully succeeded Ambassador Kenton Keith.
According to Young Professionals In Foreign Policy (2), Theros’ wise counsel to young professionals is that they should be honest and specific about themselves and in regard to what they want in future by developing career goals. As a young professional, one should humble himself and allow others to help them in developing further career goals.
Theros says that although one has to pass through a recruitment process which is nerve-racking especially because it is test meant to decide one’s future, students should never be worried about it but should rather put their full attention and effort into the recruitment process. He also advices young professionals to seek guidance especially on what is required of them in the job market from adult experts.
Theros embraces the spirit of maintenance of cordial relations. He stands strong in opposition of invasions, which, to him, are a likely cause for regional restlessness. For instance, he is on record as a person who strongly opposed the 2003 invasion to Iraq and his opposition is aired on television and radio programs. He is a regular writer in the National Herald Newspaper in New York, something he likes most and whose passion is driven by his career and strong devotion to improve U.S. Arab relations (Gallis 89). He is glad that the U.S. relationship with the UAE Council has improved tremendously.
He holds the view that young professionals should remain focused, be persistent and make sure that they finish what they start (Prospect group 1). They should never give up. If they achieve set goals, they should set new ones and start the whole process over. In case one faces trials and tribulations in the line of career, this should prepare him/her to come out stronger and more determined. In the long run, one is most likely to be successful in his endeavors.
It is evident from the above essay that Patrick Nickolas Theros is an active promoter of ties between Qatar and the United States of America. He is a man who wisely chose his career to hold high ranking positions in the government and non-profit making institutions. His advice to the young professionals is highly benefiting. For instance, one is able to learn that young professionals should remain focused, be persistent and make sure that they finish what they start and that career choice requires a person to carefully set strategic goals, which if achieved new ones should be set. His aspirations included working for his government as the Foreign Service officer to ensure cordial relations of the US and the Arab world.
Works Cited
Gallis, Patrick. European Counterterrorist Efforts: Political Will and Diverse Responses. New York: Nova Publishers, 2004. Print.
Ibp, USA. Arab League League of Arab States Business Law Handbook, World Strategic and Business Information Library, California: Int’l Business Publications, 2007. Print.
Segell, Glen. Disarming Iraq. New York: Glen Segell Publishers, 2004. Print.
Washington Business Journal. “Qatar’s Investment in City Center Could be Just the Beginning”. 2011. Web.
Young Professionals In Foreign Policy. “The convergence of Foreign and Economic Policy with Ambassador Patrick N. Theros”. 2012. Web.
Theros, Patrick. “US-Qatar Business Council”. The Prospect Group, 2012. Web.
Theros, Patrick. “U.S. State Department Biographies Archive”. The Prospect Group, 2012. Web.
Theros Patrick N. ‘Ambassador to Qatar.’ US State Department Biographies. 2001. Web.
Theros Patrick N. The President, US-Qatar Business Council”. The Prospect Group, 2012. Web.
“U.S. is Preparing Base in Gulf”. New York Times, 2002. Web.