For Negroponte, Move to State Dept. Is a Homecoming

Negroponte kept the tiny, creased photo with him in Iraq. He said he looked at it often. Security concerns in Iraq made life "confining." In his Iraq album, there's a photo of a woman at her desk, wearing a helmet and a flak jacket. "That's my secretary," he said. The picture was taken during an incoming-missile alert. Iraq was the one post where Negroponte didn't learn the language.

"I was relieved when I left," he said.

In his new job, Negroponte will return to Baghdad "at an early date," he said. The job change had been "on again, off again, since last May, after several frustrated attempts to find a successor as DNI." On New Year's Eve, national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley called with the offer. Negroponte was on the beach in south Naples, Fla. Hadley was in north Naples.

Negroponte, who has lived overseas for some 22 years, said his foreign experience would be valuable: "Look around at the government in highest circles. Who's had the opportunity to live abroad?"

As the No. 2 at State, Negroponte will assume responsibility for Iraq. He will also be the lead person for policy toward China and northeast Asia, including North Korea. His five languages will help.

"Your Mandarin might need a little polishing," Diana said.

"I'd be reluctant to take a quiz in Vietnamese," he acknowledged.

Negroponte pulled some aquamarine worry beads from his pocket. At the United Nations, he traded beads with the Syrians.

Negroponte said, "It throws people -- 'Who's this American using worry beads?' "

"He's an East Mediterranean, don't underestimate him," Diana said, and then retreated.

Negroponte walked by a photograph above the piano. It was of Diana's mother, a Belgian countess, having lunch with a chum.

"Diana's mother is a very good friend of the queen of England," Negroponte said, pointing to the friend. "It doesn't come across --" he chuckled "-- as the average American profile, I'm afraid. But what are you going to do?"

The Negroponte girls recalled meeting Grandma's friend, the queen.

"Mom taught me now to curtsy," Alejandra said.

"People look at us like, 'Wait -- you're Latin American, adopted. How do you know the queen?' " said Marina, 24.

"I was the last to be adopted," Sophia said, pouting.

Negroponte walked in: "Well, I don't think we can adopt any more."

The girls looked up -- Alejandra from the couch, Marina from a chair and Sophia from the floor where she sat listening to her iPod -- at their father. No speculation here. Negroponte's five children knew why he was going to State.

"It's full circle," Alejandra said. "He started there."

And during his hearings, if the human rights accusations come up, "we all know it's there, the Honduras thing," Alejandra said. Critics have hung posters on the lampposts on their street, calling their father a "war criminal."

"We take them down," Alejandra said. "Sophia will scratch them off."

They have a different image of their father: For Christmas, they bought him Russian nesting dolls. The largest doll is President Bush. Inside Bush is President Bill Clinton. Next, there's President George H.W. Bush, and inside him, President Ronald Reagan. Finally, the tiniest wooden doll pops out.

"He works for everybody," Alejandra said.

She held the fat little doll between two fingers. It was labeled "Dad," pasted with Negroponte's smiling face.