A veteran U.S. diplomat has announced he’s stepping down one day after his indictment for allegedly making racist and threatening comments about Arab Americans. Patrick Syring faces charges for a series of emails and phone calls to employees of the Washington, D.C.-based Arab American Institute. One phone message was left for Arab American Institute President James Zogby during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon last year. Syring is reported to have said: “The only good Lebanese is a dead Lebanese. The only good Arab is a dead Arab. Long live the [Israel Defense Forces]. Death to Lebanon and death to the Arabs.” Syring is also said to have used the F-word in referring to Zogby and what he called “his wicked Hezbollah brothers.” Syring’s 20 years at the State Department included stints in the Middle East.