Holbrooke remembered as consummate U.S. diplomat

Richard Holbrooke, the veteran U.S.
diplomat who negotiated the 1995 accord that ended the Balkans
war and was U.S. President Barack Obama's special envoy to
Afghanistan and Pakistan, died on Monday at age 69.
World leaders, colleagues, friends and analysts remembered
Holbrooke as a giant of American foreign policy. Here are some of
their statements.
U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:
"Tonight, there are millions of people around the world
whose lives have been saved and enriched by his work. As I said
earlier this evening, the United States is safer and the world
is more secure because of the half century of patriotic service
of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke."
SIYAMAK HERAWI, SPOKESMAN FOR AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI:
"We are saddened by his death, it is a big loss. He had
done great services for Afghanistan."
PAKISTANI PRESIDENT ASIF ALI ZARDARI:
"Pakistan has lost a friend. He was an accomplished and
experienced diplomat who quickly gained the confidence of his
interlocutors. He was a key player in international diplomacy to
bring peace to Bosnia and in confronting militancy in our part of the
world."
"His services will be long remembered. The best tribute to him is
to reiterate our resolve to root out extremism and usher in peace."
VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN:
"Today, I lost a great friend and America lost one of its
greatest warriors for peace. … He was a tireless negotiator,
a relentless advocate for American interests, and the most
talented diplomat we've had in a generation."
U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON:
"Richard Holbrooke served the country he loved for nearly
half a century, representing the United States in far-flung
war-zones and high-level peace talks, always with distinctive
brilliance and unmatched determination. He was one of a kind —
a true statesman."
SENATOR JOHN KERRY, CHAIRMAN OF THE U.S. SENATE FOREIGN
RELATIONS COMMITTEE:
"We loved his energy, we loved his resolve — that's who
Richard was, and he died giving everything he had to one last
difficult mission for the country he loved.
REP. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, SENIOR REPUBLICAN ON THE HOUSE
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE:
"Richard Holbrooke has been a dynamic force in American
diplomacy … His stellar service is deeply appreciated and
held in the highest esteem."
FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON:
"In a lifetime of passionate, brilliant service on the
front lines of war and peace, freedom and oppression, Richard
Holbrooke saved lives, secured peace, and restored hope for
countless people around the world."
FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR:
"He was a remarkable man, a remarkable public servant and
someone who contributed enormously to the cause of a more
peaceful and just world. He will be deeply mourned by many
people in many different nations."
HASAN ASKARI RIZVI, INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ANALYST IN
ISLAMABAD:
"On the one hand he was seen as a task-oriented chap, and
on the other hand, he sympathized with Pakistani problems, like
displaced persons because of the war on terror. Also in the
flood situation, he took a personal interest. So his exit from
the scene will be seen as a loss of a friend.
So far as Pakistan-Afghanistan-US diplomacy is concerned,
there will be a brief gap because the U.S. will have to find a
person who has relations to the extent that Holbrooke had
developed."
MICHAEL COHEN, SENIOR FELLOW AT AMERICAN SECURITY PROJECT:
"Holbrooke was perhaps the finest diplomat of his
generation and it would be unfair to judge him solely by his
efforts in Afghanistan. In fact, I think the tragedy of his
last posting was that he wasn't fully given the opportunity to
use his prodigous talents to spearhead a diplomatic initiative
in Afghanistan."
VANDA FELBAB-BROWN, ANALYST AT BROOKINGS INSTITUTION:
"As very sad as Richard Holbrooke's passing is, the role of
the SRAP (Special Representative Afghanistan, Pakistan) is an
important one. It is important to appoint into the position
someone who can redevelop a good, or at least, working
relationship between the United States and the international
community on the one hand and President (Hamid) Karzai on the
other. And there continues to be an important need for working
the regional relationships — with Pakistan and more broadly."