Barbara A. Leaf @SafiraLeaf Twitter profile

Last Seen Profiles

@KiraChats

@daffyvlr

@TheLastSound

@KristianSanjay9

@andrenit

@TheSafeAnnaAnon

@ByBlakeWilliams

@UMNSDS

@ShaneSaint

@ClubCricketConf

@UnusualYikes

@KMaminski

@ScottW_inks

@Ruftaj

@sh1nn_ri

@ET_KING_STAFF

@alunschool

@gcrcep

@ChronoToys

@PNWBaseball

@hearrtblack

@WeDrawSomething

@CinemaTRE

@GamecockFBInfo

@Sam_Azin

@KnShrivastav

@spivy2000

@ElijahNtsasa

@AspireBolt

@Nls39081

@tuffIips

@lauramarano

@ValorantLab

@brocedesbenz

@_AkihiroSuda_

@CASenateDems

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

The day's best read. "The democracies are affluent nations that have been at peace for decades, with very high . . living standards. We have ceased to be serious about our obligations as citizens. We expect simple answers and we are infuriated by anything that seems difficult."

Tom Nichols

@RadioFreeTom

3 years

Our local #Newport #Rhode Island weekly: This Week’s Conversation with Tom Nichols

20

17

187

9

97

310

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

@john_sipher @MarkHertling @gtconway3d @DavidPriess I read “the book” twice a day as US Ambassador. Don’t tell me they “didn’t get the brief.”

4

56

248

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Smartest thing the Admin could do at the moment is swing wide the gates to permit regular ol’ Iranians to visit the US again (and see family!). Expand educ/cultural programming.

6

50

203

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Great move, @qubadjt and @masrourbarzani . #dialogue

Qubad Talabani

@qubadjt

1 year

I had a pleasant and productive lunch with PM @MasrourBarzani today. Together, we are united in the belief that we can overcome our challenges, work towards better serving our citizens, and remain strong in the face of the many threats facing the Kurdistan Region.

128

75

914

6

12

171

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Right back at you, @brett_mcgurk ! It was an honor to be asked to come back to serve the American people once again. And it will be a real pleasure to work with you again. #thebandisbacktogetheragain

Brett McGurk

@brett_mcgurk

3 years

I’m thrilled and honored to team up with @SafiraLeaf to lead the MENA directorate at the National Security Council. Barbara is one our best and toughest diplomats. 26 hours! 🇺🇸

82

96

911

11

14

160

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

5 years

To add on to this excellent thread: in 33 years of USG service, I don’t recall an ordered departure before for what appears to be signaling purposes. Threats in Iraq are continuous, but we didn’t draw down in 2014-15. Why now?

Brett McGurk

@brett_mcgurk

5 years

In sum: this is the first ordered departure for Baghdad/Erbil and that alone is significant with likely second and third order effects in Iraq and the region. The big question now is where this leads. Trump again said he expects Iran to call him. They won't. So then what?

20

138

334

6

81

150

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Best news of the day - my dear friend and peerless public servant, Henry T Wooster, has been confirmed by the full Senate as the next US Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Best man for the job. A great day for the US and for Jordan. #gowooster #jordan @AmbKawar

9

15

122

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Love, love, love this.

Rasha Al Aqeedi

@RashaAlAqeedi

3 years

Ok @Pontifex is loving this all Iraqi dance medley and so are we! #PopeInIraq #PopeFrancis

49

364

2K

0

14

115

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

@lrozen @john_sipher @MarkHertling @gtconway3d @DavidPriess Abject failure on the part of Grenell, but what were Esper and Milley doing with such intel at the time? Didn’t discuss with POTUS or VPOTUS or SECSTATE? Hard. To. Believe. #notcredible

6

15

101

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning. Lovely gift from my daughter as I head off to a certain #SFRC nomination hearing.

10

1

108

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

For those who would like to support Hisham’s grieving widow and their their three small children, this is the way to do it. The Iraq Advisory Council is overseeing it. #hishamalhashimi Hisham alHashmi Fund

Hisham alHashmi Fund, organized by Farhad Alaaldin

Hisham alHashimi was assassinated in cold blood infront of his house because he was an advocate o… Farhad Alaaldin needs your support for Hisham alHashmi Fund

www.gofundme.com

2

58

98

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Thinking of one of our finest diplomats, Amb Matt Tueller, heading back to Baghdad from a much-shortened holiday home. Thinking about our great people, civ and mil, serving in Iraq, far from family and home. A long, ugly day is over. #andstilltheyserve

1

26

86

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning (from Jerusalem).

1

6

85

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

👇🏻1000 times over. It’s not just about “the first” woman, blah, blah, blah. Flournoy is a leader for our times. And her legions of fans are a testament to her work in mentoring and preparing the natsec next-gen, not only -but quite importantly - including women.

Tamara Cofman Wittes

@tcwittes

3 years

Personal reflection on the focus rn on women in NatSec. Our progress is due to pioneers & mentors who invested in building female NatSec talent. Michele Flournoy’s a major figure in that story. More than a role model, she brought many women (& men) into/up thru NatSec policy. 1/

4

41

298

1

11

78

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Me being called “Ambassador” the first time.

1

82

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

9 months

Fantastic achievement. Great collective effort by all of our partners, for the good of the neighboring Red Sea states and above all for the security of one of the world's most beautiful and fragile marine environments. This is the best news out of the region in some time.

David Gressly

@DavidGressly

9 months

WE HAVE CONCLUDED THE OIL TRANSFER! More than 1.1 million barrels of oil were pumped from the decaying #FSOSafer to the replacement vessel. Great work by SMIT Salvage. And thank you to all contributors and advocates that have brought us to this point! PR:

28

172

571

1

17

71

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

No words. They’re the best.

Secretary Antony Blinken

@SecBlinken

3 years

My deepest thanks to @USAmbKabul Wilson, Amb. Bass, and the @USEmbassyKabul team for their exceptional and courageous service bringing so many to safety. I'm confident their skills and dedication will continue to advance our consular work and diplomacy as a new chapter begins.

334

472

3K

1

8

69

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

So very, very beautiful. The cascading words, the mesmerizing cadence, the elegant gestures of @TheAmandaGorman made this shining day even more memorable.

Michael Skolnik

@MichaelSkolnik

3 years

Amanda Gorman. The entire poem. #InaugurationDay

690

28K

83K

2

3

71

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

5 years

Read it.

2

31

65

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

I really, really like this set of ideas by @danbbaer , to strengthen the ties between those who serve abroad on behalf of the American people . . . and those same people.

Dan Baer

@danbbaer

3 years

In a new @ForeignPolicy piece I suggest to @SecBlinken that he assign every US ambassador to "adopt" a US state, travel there, and engage students, workers, business owners, etc. And that he ask US passport holders to serve as citizen ambassadors.

13

49

220

4

13

63

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

This thread. Heavenly.

Bayt Al Fann

@BaytAlFann

2 years

Arabic calligraphy is the most highly regarded element of Islamic art, as it is the language of Qur’an. The script has the potential for creating ornamental forms. Today, the art of Arabic calligraphy continues. Here are 22 contemporary artists redefining calligraphy A thread…

43

1K

5K

3

7

58

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

4 hours.

0

2

58

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

5 years

I miss him every day. The life of service to which he devoted himself came at great sacrifice. His family paid the price as well. But he set me on my own course, and I was so fortunate to have him as a father for much of my life. 1/

2

5

52

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

4

3

54

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

@CAFinUS Here’s some New Mexico for you.

1

53

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

This made my day. Thank you, @Joyce_Karam .

Joyce Karam

@Joyce_Karam

4 years

What a story: Syrian refugee Omar Al Shogre who survived torture and starvation in Assad jails gets admitted to Georgetown University. He’s a refugee in Sweden. His video celebrating:

68

534

3K

0

6

53

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

4

0

51

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

There's everything -- well not quite everything -- I admire about Michele Flournoy in this statement. Like many people (not just women), I had hoped she would be the nominee. 1/

Aaron Mehta

@AaronMehta

3 years

Statement from Michele Flournoy, long seen as the SecDef pick, on the choice of Lloyd Austin:

13

28

116

3

50

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

4

1

49

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

6

1

48

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

1

0

50

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

I’m thrilled beyond words to be joined in the Biden-Harris administration (subject to the will of the Senate) by my dear friend and wonderful colleague, @tcwittes ! She’s the very best! #publicservice

Tamara Cofman Wittes

@tcwittes

3 years

I’m honored to be nominated to join the talented team @usaid under the superb leadership of @PowerUSAID . If confirmed, I look forward to serving the American people & advancing human flourishing & human freedom in the Middle East on behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration.

196

153

2K

1

3

48

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

2

1

46

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

24 hours, 3 minutes.

4

1

46

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

11 months

Good morning.

7

1

43

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

6

1

44

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

5 years

The attacks this weekend on Abqaiq processing plant and Khurais oil field are telling reminders that the US must knit back up the raveled sleeve of deterrence with regards to Iran. 1/

2

22

42

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

1

0

43

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

Good morning.

4

0

44

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

4

0

44

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

5

0

42

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

Good morning.

7

1

43

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

0

1

42

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

4

0

41

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Nice catch by @BilalWahab . Fake quorum, threatening text messages to MPs, but acting PM Abdul Mahdi still tells US Amb it’s the will of the Iraqi Parliament that US troops leave. It took guts for those other 138 MPs to stay away, despite militia threats.

Bilal Wahab, PhD

@BilalWahab

4 years

Here, Photo analysis of #Iraq parliament session on Sunday: 167 MPs needed for quorum; 130 were present. All but one of the 59 Kurdish MPs boycotted the session. Only 15 of the 70 Sunni MPs showed up, 6 of Maliki’s 26, 5 of Abadi’s 25 & 4 of Allawis’s 15.

37

276

579

1

23

34

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

11 months

Good morning.

1

0

39

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

Good morning.

9

1

39

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

1

0

39

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Thank you, #UAE , for the generous support and assistance at this critical moment. @UAEEmbassyUS @MohamedBinZayed #AbdullahbinZayed

News | أخبار

@EmiratesNews

3 years

UAE to host 5,000 Afghan evacuees on way to third countries

0

2

5

10

37

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

When I asked my daughter (then 5) years ago what she thought I did at the State Dept, she crisply answered (waving her hands), “You play around with a lot of papers on your desk.” Hate to think what she’d say these days. Happy Mother’s Day!

President Biden

@POTUS

3 years

I am proud of the people I go to work with at the White House every day — but my pride can’t hold a candle to that of their mothers. Happy Mother’s Day and thank you for raising these public servants.

2K

4K

26K

3

2

39

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

3

0

39

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Could not be prouder of my ⁦ @StateDept ⁩ friends and colleagues (and my little sis!) who are working tirelessly to get our fellow Americans home from around the globe. Without a break, many at risk themselves. #service #leadership

0

5

38

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

2

1

39

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

6

2

37

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

Good morning.

10

1

38

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Bad day for Iraq. Bad day for the prospects of young (and older) Iraqis who are desperate to live in a normal country. Good day for Iraqi militias that follow a foreign flag. 7/

2

16

32

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

7

0

37

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

2

3

37

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

2

0

37

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

2

0

35

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

Good morning.

2

0

37

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

2

0

37

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 month

Good morning.

11

0

36

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

4

0

37

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

5

0

36

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

2

1

36

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

2

0

36

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 months

Beautiful.

Bayt Al Fann

@BaytAlFann

4 months

Did you know that in Arabic, there are 12 levels of friendship? For every level of friendship, there is an Arabic word to describe it. From Sadeeq to Khaleel, it is rare to find all 12 levels of friendship in one person. A thread on the 12 levels of friendship in Arabic…

129

3K

9K

4

9

35

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

5

1

36

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good afternoon.

2

0

36

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

0

35

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

2

0

35

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

6

1

35

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

Good morning.

2

0

34

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

2

0

35

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

0

1

35

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Read this outstanding thread by @ksadjadpour (and the @WSJ piece behind it). This lays out the long and ghastly tale of Soleimani's "sinister genius." His ability to weaponize both Sunni and Shia extremists left a legacy of broken lives and countries across the region.

Karim Sadjadpour

@ksadjadpour

4 years

1. It took me years to understand the sinister strategic genius of Ghassem Soleimani. This is the abridged story (based on my @WSJ essay) of the world from his eyes, and how his decisions-coupled w/ costly US errors-impacted the lives of tens of millions

104

1K

2K

0

13

31

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning ☀️

3

0

34

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

@julianborger He may have gotten in a fight. With somebody. Just not with East Germans or Soviets.

2

5

29

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

Good morning.

3

2

34

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

1

0

34

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

This 👇🏻 by @jimgolby and of course that 👇🏻by @KoriSchake . For God’s sake, is it really so hard to consult with allies who have been in the fight with us for (checks watch) 19 - no, *71* years? And that’s not counting WWI and WWII at this point. For God’s sake.

27

9

31

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

8 years

It was wonderful to help open the surreal art exhibition of Egyptian-American Kamal Yousef with @SharjahArt #USAinUAE #art @SharjahTV #UAE

0

13

33

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

Good morning.

0

33

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning,

5

0

34

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Lots of on-the-mark analysis here by @hxhassan . Iran surfs on troubled Arab waters, and no greater surfer than Qassem Soleimani.

Faysal Itani

@faysalitani

4 years

'For people who think of foreign relations as Iran versus the U.S. or Putin vs. Xi Jinping, it can be hard to grasp just how little govts sometimes matter in the Middle East' by @CGlobalPolicy 's @hxhassan The Middle Eastern Problem Soleimani Figured Out

3

31

107

2

11

31

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

3

1

33

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

0

1

33

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

I'm joining @NatSecDiver ’s #BlackVoices campaign to amplify a great voice on Europe -- Alex Johnson @atjsk1 -- on Juneteeth (6/19). Follow along on Friday to learn more about his career & work! #NextGenNatSec #DiverseVoices #BlackNatSec

0

15

33

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

1

0

32

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

Good morning.

2

0

32

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

3

2

32

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

11 months

Good morning.

4

0

33

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

2 years

Good morning.

5

0

32

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

Belated shout-out and thanks to @SultanAlQassemi for a fabulous virtual cultural majlis this week, with the wonderful MinCulture @NouraAlKaabi . Fabulous in no small part because it reconnected me with so many people I miss, and the arts/culture talk was a much-needed tonic.

3

11

31

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

4

0

33

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

11 months

Good morning.

2

1

32

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

3 years

So very, very proud of AmEmbassy Kabul. Hats off to you and all your US mil colleagues, working hand in glove in the most taxing and dangerous of conditions to get fellow Americans and vulnerable Afghans out of harm’s way. You make us proud. @USEmbassyKabul @DeptofDefense

Chargé d’Affaires Karen Decker

@USAmbKabul

3 years

I am extremely proud of the @USEmbassyKabul team and our @DeptofDefense colleagues. They are working day in & day out to support the efforts to relocate U.S. citizens and at-risk Afghans. Their commitment to service is unparalleled.

254

220

1K

0

4

32

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

4 years

@RadioFreeTom @NicolleDWallace He reeks of contempt for the whole notion of congressional oversight.

1

3

28

Barbara A. Leaf

@SafiraLeaf

1 year

Good morning.

3

0

32