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Amb. Richard Holbrooke: Archetype of American Diplomacy

By Massimo Calabresi | December 14, 2010 | +

My obit, in which I argue Holbrooke is fondly remembered not for his unique record as a diplomat–others have been equally involved in key moments of American history over the last 50 years–but because he personified the strengths and limitations of U.S. diplomacy in the post-Cold War era.

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  • michaelfury

    “It’s such a precise weapon, the Predator, that if they were aiming at your producers over there, you and I could continue our conversation. It’s very very small; does that not appeal to you, that idea?”

    - Richard Holbrooke to Rachel Maddow, 9/27/10

    http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/send-in-the-drones/

  • rdw56

    This is weak but it will be over quickly. Last 50 years? He was a part time diplomat having spent as much time on Wall Street since 1990 than at Foggy Bottom. Give him all the credit in the world for the Dayton Accords if you wish but over the last 50 years that hardly ranks as a top 20 event. This is the liberal hype machine in action. It says nothing about the strengths or limitations of the US but of the will of certain parties. Pity liberals didn’t tout this accord when the muslim world was beating up America as anti-islam under Bush. Better to see Bush twist in the wind. Now you want to celebrate Dayton? Good luck. Few will know what you are talking about.

  • pelhamite1

    Actually, numerous liberal and centrist commentators did make the point that the U.S. had done more for Muslims in the post-war world than any Arab nation. The point got shouted down in the firestorm of the run up to the invasion of Iraq, but it was noted numerous times. One of the many sad consequences of Bush’s unwillingness to be more patient before launching the invasion was that whatever goodwill that did exist in the Muslim world for the good deeds the US did in the ’90s got trashed in the wake of that rash action.

    .

    I don’t think of “liberals” as having “let Bush twist in the wind” so much as neglecting to defend the indefensible. When one launches the invasion of another country based on “certitude” about a fact that was not true (and probably manufactured), and then mishandles just about every non-military aspect of the operation that one can, there really isn’t any way to justify the actions of our 43rd President.

    .

    I remember well, too, that the Republican Party, with a few courageous exceptions, largely opposed Clinton’s actions in the Balkans (again under the justification that “whatever is good for a Democratic President must ipso facto be vilified). Ironically enough, the one fairly admirable period of Republican foreign policy was during the presidency of Bush 41, which the the current GOP seems determined to refudiate (sic) on just about all counts.

    .

    I find your clear resentment of a an effective, brilliant (if somewhat arrogant) public servant somewhat puzzling. Is there something about bringing peace to a corner of the world that you despise?

  • http://erieangel.wordpress.com erieangel

    You, sir, are clearly showing your biase to the right. Holbrook can’t possibly have done anything good for this country since he’s been using the revolving door at the State Dept. for years. Few who knew Holbrook well will say that he was a nice guy, but he knew how to get the job done in some of the worst situations.

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