Robert M. McClintock

Robert M. McClintock (August 30, 1909 – November 1, 1976) was an American diplomat. A career Foreign Service Officer, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia (1954–1956), Lebanon (1957–1961), Argentina (1962–1964), and Venezuela (1970–1975).^[1]

Robert McClintock
US Ambassador to Cambodia
In office August 18, 1954 – October 15, 1956
President	Dwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded by	Donald R. Heath
Succeeded by	Carl W. Strom
US Ambassador to Lebanon
In office 1957–1961
President	Dwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded by	Donald R. Heath
Succeeded by	Armin H. Meyer
US Ambassador to Argentina
In office February 6, 1962 – May 10, 1964
President	John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	Roy R. Rubottom, Jr.
Succeeded by	Edwin M. Martin
US Ambassador to Venezuela
In office July 7, 1970 – March 14, 1975
President	Richard Nixon Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Maurice M. Bernbaum
Succeeded by	Harry W. Shlaudeman

McClintock was born in Seattle, Washington on August 30, 1909. He joined the Foreign Service in 1931 after graduating from Stanford University. Other positions include Advisor to the President of the Naval War College (1964 to 1966) and Deputy Director Special State-Defense Study Group beginning in 1968.

McClintock died of injuries sustained in a car crash in Beaune, France, on November 1, 1976. He was 67 years old.

McClintock (foreground) in Argentina in 1963

Venezuela and oil

Venezuela was the largest supplier of oil to the US, in 1974. In 1975, they were taking steps to nationalize the industry. He took his concerns to the American Government, fearful “Venezuela could play one American oil company off against another. ... McClintock reportedly wanted the United States Government to take on a major and direct role in negotiations concerning prices, levels of production and the share that would be channelled through American companies to the United States market.”^[2]

References

1. "Robert M. McClintock". Office of the Historian. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
2. Smith, Robert M. (June 30, 1975). "Ambassador Urged U.S. Take Role in Venezuelan Oil Talks". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 November 2019.