New Iraq ambassador has ties to Maine

BRUNSWICK, Maine — The new U.S. ambassador to Iraq has ties to Maine.

Christopher Hill is the choice to replace Ryan Crocker as the nation’s top diplomat in Baghdad.

Hill is a 1974 graduate of Bowdoin College, where he majored in economics and was a standout lacrosse player.

A career diplomat, Hill is a frequent visitor to the Bowdoin campus in Brunswick, where he often speaks about diplomacy and negotiations he has been a part of in his career.

Hill served as the Bush administration’s lead negotiator with North Korea. He earlier served as a negotiator in the crises in Bosnia and Kosovo.