Comments | ontd_political: US Diplomat Holbrooke dies after aortic tear.

juliet316 in ontd_political

US Diplomat Holbrooke dies after aortic tear.

Dec 15, 2010 02:50

Richard Holbrooke, a veteran U.S. diplomat who was the architect of the 1995 Bosnia peace plan and served as President Barack Obama's special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, has died, NBC News reported, citing a U.S. official. He was 69 ( Read more... )

diplomacy, deaths, afghanistan, pakistan, bosnia and herzegovina, medicine, health

Comments 16

hazel_belle December 15 2010, 08:07:49 UTC

Damn, sorry to hear that he died. Condolences go out to his family and friends, especially during the holidays.

Epic Bro.

the_glow_worm December 15 2010, 08:22:50 UTC

He seemed like a decent guy, although of course it's always hard to tell after someone's dead, when all anyone will say are patriotic platitudes. In any case, RIP, your country thanks you and all that.

the_glow_worm December 15 2010, 08:24:00 UTC

Wow, that sounded a little flippant, didn't it? I am sorry that he's dead, and I'm sure his family must miss him.

belleweather December 16 2010, 00:43:14 UTC

No, he was pretty awesome when he was alive. He's been my hero since High School.

emotionally December 15 2010, 10:36:31 UTC

my entire school is very sad about this. he was an alum and a professor at large here. a bunch of people i know took shots in his honor last night. rip.

(The comment has been removed)

calybe December 15 2010, 12:05:57 UTC

Richard Holbrooke, President Obama's envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, died yesterday after undergoing surgery for a torn aorta. Holbrooke's record as a government official is long, complex and mixed on many levels, but -- based on the last line of his long Washington Post obituary -- I just want to flag what his "last words" were according to his family members, which he uttered as he was being sedated for surgery: "You've got to stop this war in Afghanistan."

Ironically, Holbrooke was the author of one of the volumes of the Pentagon Papers -- which revealed that government officials knew of the futility of the Vietnam War at the same time they were falsely assuring the public they could win -- and Afghanistan seems to be no different. As official Washington rushes forward to lavish praise on Holbrooke's wisdom and service, undoubtedly they will studiously avoid acknowledging his final insight.

Glenn Greenwald: Richard Holbrooke's last words

awfulbliss December 15 2010, 20:30:31 UTC

This is why I always have to wonder whether people who love Carter for his foreign policy are just completely clueless or something.

lady_deirdre December 15 2010, 12:29:34 UTC

I'm reading this obit, am reminded of Jeremy Scahill's tweets and will just assume the truth is somewhere in the middle.

jugglingeggs December 15 2010, 12:38:08 UTC

Schaill's tweets is what made me aware of this man's existence.