James F. Moriarty

James Francis Moriarty (born 1953) is an American diplomat and career foreign service officer with the rank of Minister-Counselor. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Nepal (2004–2007), U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh (2008–2011) and Chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan (2016–2023).

Early life and education Moriarty was born in Ware, Massachusetts in 1953 to William E. Moriarty, a World War II army veteran and executive of the U.S. Postal Service. James had two brothers, a sister, and a foster brother. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in history, summa cum laude, from Dartmouth College.

Career Moriarty joined the Foreign Service in 1975. His first tour was as a consular officer in the U.S. Embassy in Rabat, Morocco. He subsequently served as a political/economic officer at the Embassy in Mbabane, Swaziland and then as an economic officer in the U.S. State Department's Office of Southern African Affairs.

In 2004, President George W. Bush nominated Moriarty to be U.S. Ambassador to Nepal. Republican Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona placed a hold on Moriarty's confirmation, alleging that while at the National Security Council, he had delayed a sale of radar equipment to Taiwan. Moriarty had pushed through a procedural change for major decisions regarding Taiwan, but his supporters said it was not intended to delay approval. Senator Kyl lifted his hold after about a month, and Moriarty's nomination was confirmed.

Mired in a civil war with Maoist insurgents since 1996, the popularity of the Nepalese monarchy was waning. On February 1, 2005, King Gyanendra dismissed parliament and declared a state of emergency. Ambassador Moriarty condemned Gyanendra's actions as undemocratic, and the US suspended lethal military assistance to his regime, but Nepalese politicians, journalists, and other civil-society advocates criticized Moriarty for taking a hard line against the Maoist insurgency while being too soft on the monarchy. Moriarty actively lobbied against the Maoists in language that earned him a reputation as unusually outspoken for a diplomat. He served as Ambassador to Nepal until 2007.

Moriarty and his wife have a son and a daughter.