ABSTRACT
P Eter De Vos, the new American ambassador to Liberia, was eating pancakes with strawberry jam on the terrace of the Lunghi airport hotel, across the bay from Freetown. It was early morning, the sky was mostly grey and big clouds smothered the sun. De Vos, veteran of superpower diplomacy in Africa after service in Mozambique and Guinea and later Somalia and Tanzania, with his neatly cut college haircut, pale grey double-breasted suit, red silk bow-tie, big glasses, round chubby face, half smiled that ‘I can't talk in public, but maybe later’ smile of diplomats who are not sure if they have met you before, so do not know if you can be trusted. I sat at another table.
