Remembering Richard Holbrooke

Richard Holbrooke, the United States Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, passed away yesterday after undergoing a marathon surgery that failed to save his life. He was 69. Across a long career in foreign policy, Holbrooke dedicated his life to brokering peace and stability throughout the world on behalf of the United States.

Holbrooke’s biggest legacy will likely be known as his success at brokering the Bosnia Peace accords during the Clinton Administration. It remains to be seen whether Holbrooke’s untimely death will mean that his recent efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan will be for naught.

Holbrooke once said, “A peace deal requires agreements, and you don’t make agreements wtih your friends: you make agreements with your enemies.” It will be some time before we know whether he was able to make any lasting friends or agreements with enemies in the current conflicts…but the loss will be profoundly felt in the world of diplomacy. We take some time to remember the diplomat.