re: "Richard Holbrooke: A Life in Diplomacy"

Gregory at Belgravia Dispatch ("International Politics & Diplomacy") came out of blog-silence to note the passing of Amb. Holbrooke.

Money quote(s):

"I can almost picture the scene where, turning blush red, he would have very much been wanting to make just one last point to Hillary Clinton on the 7th Floor at the State Department, with her instead wisely ordering him into the elevator to get rushed to the hospital. A passionate and tireless advocate, he blocked and tackled to the very end, in service to his country."

A fellow could have a lot worse things than that said about him.

R.I.P.

re: "What Would Real--Rather Than Rhetorical--Change in U.S. Foreign Policy Look Like?"

Gregory at The Belgravia Dispatch ("occasionally comments on foreign policy matters at this site") lists "six critical areas for Obama and his foreign policy team’s consideration".

Money quote(s):

"(P)artly because of these very economic challenges—and the consuming efforts that will need to be directed towards alleviating them--one is concerned the scope of change required in the foreign policy realm may not prove quite as dramatic as necessary, perhaps with President Obama not being able to devote as much attention to same as he might otherwise."

"Counter-terrorism is not nation-building. Retention of counter-terror surgical strike capacities and requisite intelligence-gathering capabilities can be maintained via a modest presence in key cities like Kabul, perhaps too temporarily bases like Bagram as we nonetheless move to phase them out, ‘over the horizon’ forces, drone strikes, a heightened ‘train and equip’ effort for the Afghan Army, and the like. U.S. marines should not be dying to try to de-Talibanize, if we might call it that, remote portions of the Pashtun south of Afghanistan."

&

"Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke is an immensely talented negotiator—with few able to cajole, harrumph, corral, threaten, bluster as relentlessly as he."