[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 166 (Wednesday, December 15, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8503-H8508]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF AMERICA'S PEACEMAKER, AMBASSADOR
RICHARD HOLBROOKE
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Schauer). Under the Speaker's announced
policy of January 6, 2009, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee)
is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I am saddened by the occasion on which I come to the floor of the
House, but it is a privilege to be able to speak about a great
American, for we do not capture the life and the legacy of great
Americans. We find ourselves forgetting. Some would say, if we don't
remember the past, we are doomed to repeat some of those hills and
valleys in the future. Tonight, I want to remember Ambassador Richard
Holbrooke, whom this Nation lost on Monday evening.
It is important that his story be told for I would like to know him
and for this Nation to know him as America's peacemaker, but many will
say that peacemaker had a tough edge.
Before I start, I want to mention his family and express my sympathy
to them for their loss--to his wife, his two sons, and his
stepchildren--all who loved him so very, very much.
What I would say to you is that this was an action man. He was
someone who threw himself into the world of diplomacy. Frankly, there
was no challenge of peace too difficult for Ambassador Richard
Holbrooke.
One newspaper, USA Today, calls him as he is known in the headline--
Bulldozer, Giant of Diplomacy Holbrooke Dies.
Among his credits, the 1995 Bosnian pact, but Richard was also known
around the world for being unending and unceasing in his commitment to
solving a problem, and he would ask you to work with him to solve that
problem.
Henry Kissinger said, If Richard calls you and asks you for
something, just say, ``Yes.'' If you say, ``No,'' you will eventually
get to saying ``yes,'' but the journey will be very painful.
Ambassador Holbrooke was not prepared to give up. He learned to
become extremely informed about whatever country he was in. He would
push for an exit strategy and look for ways to get those who lived in a
country to take responsibility for their own security. He didn't mind
getting engaged and involved with those who lived in faraway places,
whether it was Vietnam or whether it was Bosnia--the resulting
agreement, the Dayton peace treaty. The Washington Post headline
credited him with deft maneuvering that resulted in that peace treaty.
He brokered the accord in Bosnia. He was seeking peace in Afghanistan,
and he refused to give up.
So, tonight, it is important that we remember this man, this
gentleman--this giant of a man, large in size and with the capacity to
do much. America was saddened by his loss. In particular, I note that
Ambassador Holbrooke always accepted the call to duty, whether it was
as the U.N. ambassador or whether it was as the special envoy which
President Obama called him to be. In the time of sadness, many came to
present and to give their thoughts. Let me share with you some of those
words.
For nearly 50 years, Richard served the country he loved with honor
and distinction. He worked as a young foreign service officer during
the Vietnam war, and then supported the Paris Peace Talks, which ended
that war.
{time} 2200
As a young assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific
Affairs, he helped normalize relations with China. As U.S. ambassador
to Germany, he helped Europe emerge from a long Cold War and encouraged
NATO to welcome new members. The progress that we have made in
Afghanistan and Pakistan is due in no small measure to Richard's
relentless focus on America's national interests and pursuit of peace
and security. He understood in his life, his work, and his interests
that they encompass the values that we hold so dear, and as usual,
amidst this extraordinary duty, he also mentored young people who will
serve our country for decades to come. One of his friends and admirers
once said that if you're not on the team and you're in the way, God
help you. Like so many Presidents before me, I am grateful that Richard
Holbrooke was on my team, as are the American people. President Barack
Obama.
I remind you, like so many Presidents before me, I'm grateful that he
was on my team. The President understood the kind of strength that
Ambassador Holbrooke had. This sounds just like him: If you're not on
the team and you're in his way, God help you. But remember, he was
doing it for the good of this Nation and for the good of the world.
Another comment on his great life: 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. He was central to our
efforts to limit ethnic cleansing in Kosova and paved the way for its
independence, and he found a way to break the stalemate in the talks in
Cyprus.
Little known to many people, I was proud to nominate him as the
United States Ambassador to the United Nations where he helped equip
the U.N. to meet the challenges of our 21st-century world. Former
President Bill Clinton.
Let me just reiterate these words. He helped restore hope for
countless people around the world. I remember engaging with Ambassador
Holbrooke in the early stages of my congressional career, and I
remember him as the United Nations ambassador: resilient, joyful,
persistent, determined, ready to tackle the world for peace. He wasn't
bored with his job. He was never bored. He was always ready to do what
was right.
Another comment on his life: Richard Holbrooke was a larger-than-life
figure who through his brilliance, determination and sheer force of
will helped bend the curve of history in the direction of progress. He
touched so many lives and helped save countless more. He was a tireless
negotiator, a relentless advocate for American interests, and the most
talented diplomat we have had in a generation. Vice President Joe
Biden.
Other words pouring out for him and toward him: From his early days
in Vietnam, to his historic role bringing peace to the Balkans, to his
last mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard helped shape our
history, manage our perilous present, and secure our future. I had the
privilege to know Richard for many years and to call him a friend,
colleague, and confidante. As Secretary of State, I have counted on his
advice, relied on his leadership. This is a sad day for me, for the
State Department and, yes, for the United States of America. Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton.
Some would say that States and defense, power and diplomacy,
sometimes did not match or mix, but Richard Holbrooke knew how to walk
that line. Ambassador Holbrooke was one of the most formidable and
consequential public servants of his generation, bringing his uncommon
passion, energy, tenacity, and intellect to bear on the most difficult
national security interests of our time. Secretary of Defense Robert
Gates.
He never lost time fighting for ideals he believed in. He never lost
touch with the problems faced by millions of people he never knew. And
he never lost hope that those same people could live in peace,
security, and safety. Indeed, he shared their vivid aspirations. The
Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen.
You can see that he interacted with these leaders of our present
government and past government quite frequently. He was a frequent
visitor to the White House. Those who worked in this area and those who
did not knew Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, and he drew the admiration
and respect and sometimes the intimidation of those who watched him
work and wondered
[[Page H8504]]
what he would say next. Well, I can tell you as someone who has
likewise watched his work, he would be talking about peace.
Further words about him: His drive was immense. His desire to do good
in the world was fierce, and he pursued all that he set out to do with
a resolution and tenacity that was second to none. His legacy will be
his work, his inspiration to so many around the world. That's what we
should note about Ambassador Holbrooke: how many miles he accumulated
in his travels around the world, how many times in his lifetime around
the world he went.
More than we probably could calculate because, when this Nation
called him, when there was a conflict, a difficult situation, where
people were at odds, where others were suffering, he wanted to
intervene and to bring peace. He wanted to see the best of Pakistan and
Afghanistan. He wanted those people to thrive and to grow. He wanted
the children to have an opportunity for education and to mature into
citizens of their nation.
He wanted the people of Afghanistan to have freedom and a good
government and good governance. He wanted there to be the opportunity
for girls to go to school and women to be respected and held in dignity
and to have the same access to opportunities that we cherish here in
the United States of America. He cared about our soldiers on the front
line, and he knew that they were putting themselves on the line so that
he could work his magic and bring resolution.
You know what I would say to my colleagues, I know that the heads of
state of both Pakistan and Afghanistan have experienced the similar
loss and pain of a giant like Ambassador Holbrooke in losing his life.
I know that because both Presidents, Presidents Zardari and Karzai,
called the family to express their concern. Presidents called far away
from their homes, as one could imagine, because they respected a man
who would get in the mix and fight both, if he had to, to draw them
together and to iron out or to box out these particular issues that
were keeping us from being united around the question of peace.
Further comments about this great man. They noted that Ambassador
Holbrooke's service spanned decades and continents confronting
profoundly difficult issues and global affairs. The members of the
council expressed admiration for his contributions as the United
States' permanent representative to the United Nations, as well as for
his energetic and unrelenting commitment to promoting peace and
strengthening international cooperation of the United Nations.
I will tell you that his work at the United Nations allowed him to
touch governments around the world, and I venture to say that any
hotspot that would occur today, this giant of a man would be able to go
and begin to develop a solution. Remember what I said, any country that
he would go to, he would begin to know more than anyone else about that
country and probably more than those who lived there. That's what made
him effective. That's what made him have the ability to talk to heads
of state and prime ministers and foreign ministers and those who were
engaged in the day-to-day diplomacy of that particular country. It was
his understanding of their culture, his understanding of their
language, his understanding of how they thought, but most of all, his
understanding of his own thoughts, and he knew he wanted peace, and he
would do what was necessary.
There were so many that considered him friend, but there were really
so many more that respected him for being the bulldozer, giant for
peace. I call him America's peacemaker.
Further comments that I pay tribute to his diplomatic skills,
strategic vision, and legendary determination as the architect of the
1995 Dayton Agreement, Ambassador Holbrooke played a key role in ending
the war in Bosnia, the most terrible tragedy on European soil since
World War II. At the end of this long and distinguished career, he
traveled tirelessly to Afghanistan and Pakistan in pursuit of peace and
stability in the region, and he would not stop. My words.
He knew that history is unpredictable, that we sometimes have to
defend our security by facing conflict in distant places and that the
transatlantic alliance remains indispensable. Secretary General of
NATO.
{time} 2210
And so Ambassador Holbrooke knew how to put it together, how to work
with the various entities that represented the front lines of defense
for this Nation and for Europe and other countries. He knew how to walk
the walk and talk the talk.
I remember, as a new Member of Congress, coming in during the hostile
and the horrible conflict of Bosnia, the ethnic cleansing that occurred
in Kosova, and to realize that one man was the pinnacle, the pivotal
point of working on the Dayton peace treaty, I tell you how important
that was. As a new Member of Congress, I was able to go on the first
delegation into Bosnia, then to meet with heads of states of Bosnia and
former Yugoslavia and Croatia. We went to Sarajevo, and we landed where
there was no actual peace in place at that time. They were looking to
finalize the Dayton peace treaty. We were going in to determine whether
or not this peace treaty was going to be welcomed by the people.
As we went into this town that was known for its beautiful Alps and
skiing opportunities, I was literally shocked. It drew me back to
pictures I saw in history books of World War II when Europe looked as
if it was completely bombed out and desolate. Whole buildings had their
tops knocked off. In libraries, doors were opened and books strewn on
the ground. People walking aimlessly through the streets. And as we
walked to what was left of a public building to meet the various
leaders, there were women who came up to me in the street and asked had
I seen their son. In this horrible war, they had lost their son. Is
their son alive? in their language, speaking to me.
I know the price of that horrible war by way of seeing those people
in pain. Ambassador Holbrooke understood it and worked without ceasing
to secure a peace that is lasting today. No peace is a hundred percent.
There are always some trials and tribulations, but he laid the
framework that is in place today. He left it to us to be vigilant, to
give oversight, if you will, and to ensure that people who have been in
conflict, who desire to have peace can live in peace.
Further comments about Ambassador Holbrooke: We will always remember
his efforts of promoting peace and stability in our region with a deep
sense of appreciation and gratitude. Pakistani Prime Minister Gilani.
He will always be remembered for his preeminent role in ending the
vicious war in Bosnia, where his force of personality and his
negotiating skills combined to drive through the Dayton peace treaty
agreement and put a halt to the fighting. British Prime Minister David
Cameron.
As you can see, from all walks of life, they poured out their
comments of respect for, again, America's peacemaker.
He could always be counted on for his imagination, dedication, and
forcefulness. Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright.
Many understood his work, many who were in the business. More
comments: Richard Holbrooke's legacy goes well beyond the critical role
he played in bringing a decade of fragile peace in the Balkans,
welcoming a reunified Germany in an expanding NATO. He also leaves a
vast multigenerational intercontinental network of friends. I say that
again: He also leaves a vast multigenerational intercontinental network
of friends.
Thank you, Ambassador Holbrooke. It means that you have touched
people around the world through generations, and that means that some
are left with your spirit, your inspiration, and your training. These
words came from the president of the Brookings Institution, Strobe
Talbott, one who knows this system well.
And then of course you had the fun stories about him, and one could
not speak about him without saying how many different things he was. As
it was said in The Washington Post: a writer, a diplomat, an editor, a
banker, publisher, impresario of numerous organizations. He was a
deeply serious man, engaged always in a serious business of saving
lives in Vietnam, in Afghanistan, in Bosnia, and I will say at the
United Nations.
Yes, Ambassador Holbrooke, you were engaged in saving lives. And to
[[Page H8505]]
the end of your life, it was your pursuit to save lives. As I
indicated, to save the lives of our soldiers in Afghanistan, to save
the lives of women and children and families, to save the lives who
simply want to go from marketplace to home, the farmers who want to
take their goods from Kandahar to Kabul or want to do something else
other than poppy crop, he was trying to save their lives in
Afghanistan.
As I visited and as I reflect on my visits to Afghanistan and seeing
what a unique terrain, how difficult, how challenging it is, I just
want to say to my colleagues, Ambassador Holbrooke could have sat in an
armchair, could have done armchair diplomacy. In the world of
technology, he could have made attempts to communicate in ways other
than the kind of ``roll up your sleeves, get on an airplane, and go
into the harshest places'' to bring about peace. But he understood that
peace was about a people-to-people relationship. It was something that
was special, and he had the special touch.
Further words from a friend: Dick Holbrooke was a friend of mine.
Just 2 days before he fell ill, I saw him and his devoted wife at a
dinner where he proposed a toast with generosity, affection, self-
deprecation, and the sort of comic timing that made you think he had
missed his true profession. I liked him enormously. But for all that he
did over nearly 50 years of service to his Nation and, indeed, to all
human kind, I admired him much, much more.
As you begin to reflect on Ambassador Holbrooke's life, you have to
admire him much, much more, and that was from the international editor
of Time magazine, Michael Elliott.
I am sure that we could count so many emails and Twitter and blogging
that is going on right now, first because of the shock of losing this
giant of a man, this man that exuded desires for peace; but yet he
leaves a life of instruction, that if we are to really develop the kind
of world that brings peace to all in the backdrop of Afghanistan and
Pakistan and the backdrop of the issues in the Mideast and the backdrop
of North and South Korea, it has to be the kind of hand-to-hand
diplomacy, insistent diplomacy, persistent, determined diplomacy, and
out-of-the-box diplomacy.
One of the champions of a unique new concept for Pakistani Americans
and helping Pakistan, and I was delighted to be able to engage with him
on this and the Secretary of State to go to the first inaugural meeting
in New York, and that is to develop a Pakistan-American development
board that would generate resources and investment by Pakistani
Americans and others in Pakistan.
That is a love for the people. He knew that he could start there
because he knew that in his interactions, he was not willing to label
the entire Pakistan with the frontier area and the unfortunate
circumstances that cause Pakistan to be able to be in the way, if you
will, of receiving terrorists running from Afghanistan. He knew the
circumstances. He knew the harshness of it. But he also knew that there
were people every day in Karachi and Lahor, Islamabad, and other
places, in Peshawar that wanted to go to school, to open business, to
be able to have a democratic government, a judicial system that worked.
And so he put the burden on the Government of Pakistan to say to
them, I will work with you if you will work with me. He believed that
there could be a solution, so he was excited about this Pakistan
development board, similar to the Irish-American board, and he was the
heart and soul behind it. And we had a great celebration in New York,
and it exists, and it's one of his legacies.
And so I will say to Ambassador Holbrooke, to his spirit and to his
legacy, You've left something behind that can help to create peace,
that can network across the ocean between the goodwill of the people of
America and Pakistani Americans and those in Pakistan who really want
to focus in on building a great nation.
{time} 2220
Maybe in the spirit of their founding father, Dr. Jinnah, who
believed in a democratic process, living harmoniously with Bangladesh
and India, Pakistan and Afghanistan and that region. And so I want us
to support the concept of his legacy. Just let me read some headlines
that are reflective of his history.
Strong American voice in diplomacy in crisis. I can affirm that.
Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, all resulted out of crisis, but he
was a man of diplomacy.
Statesman who defined a generation. Clearly, 50 years of service,
there was no doubt that Ambassador Holbrooke's life will be considered
an era, a timeframe of American diplomacy, and an approach of get
involved and getting to know the people who you had to engage with.
As we listened to reflections about Ambassador Holbrooke, it was
noted that he would go to the sites of the chief or the elder statesman
or elder warrior or the village or the mountain to be able to draw from
that very person who could be part of making peace.
You know, as I reflect on this, I would say to you, that's the kind
of diplomacy we need. We're going to have to unshackle ourselves.
It's interesting, as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee,
Ambassador Holbrooke, in his astuteness, appeared before us a number of
times and was always so erudite and brilliant and carefully thinking
and analyzing as he responded to questions. But one thing that comes
out of his life, and one thing I gleaned as I've had the privilege of
representing the people of Houston in the 18th Congressional District,
and seeing how the world works on their behalf and trying to be part of
the solution and not the problem, people believe America can solve
their problems. I know many Americans push back on that and actually
say that we can't nation-build and we can't solve everyone's problems.
And in the literal sense, they may be right. But if there's a
perception that America has the answer, that our democratic values are
so strong that we can reach in times of peace, or with peaceful tactics
help guide them toward peace, there's nothing wrong with that. I
believe Ambassador Richard Holbrooke truly believed that, that our
values were so strong that we could, by sheer determination,
commitment, and dedication, help those people who could not help
themselves.
Time Magazine has Richard Holbrooke, an archetype of American
diplomacy. And let me just share these few words. But there have been
many career diplomats whose lives overlay the most important historical
moments of the last half century. And they name a few. These are
friends and rivals of Holbrooke's, who also played key roles and
influenced events in ways we're still only beginning to learn.
What made Holbrooke most memorable--and of course the article names a
number of individuals--and what lies behind the outpouring of mourning
and reminiscence that is sweeping Washington in the wake of his death
Monday evening was his personification of what many at home and abroad
imagine U.S. diplomacy to be. And I imagine what they're saying is that
it was the hands on, get in your face, but come with a smile and tell
you we can do this together. That's Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.
Now, he didn't pull any punches. I remember sitting in a meeting with
him with Pakistani Americans, and he answered hard questions and
sometimes gave hard answers. But he left the room with friends, and
they truly believed he was looking for peace in Afghanistan and
Pakistan.
Holbrooke, this article goes on to say, was not just a prominent
American diplomat who engaged in some of the most consequential
international events of this time. In the same way that Shakespeare's
characters still seem to live with us today as the archetype for human
nobility, vanity, and ambition, so Holbrooke seemed to be the very
human version of American diplomacy itself: piledriver powerful yet
subtly persuasive, brash, volcanic and occasionally offensive but
tactically brilliant and capable of the finest strategic judgment,
cold-eyed and sometimes heartlessly realistic but possessing high
principles and real deep compassion.
Friends, I just read that from Time. But as you have heard my
tribute, it's interesting how these words come from all of us. And as I
indicated to you, if Ambassador Holbrooke's legacy is anything, it is,
in fact, to leave us with that kind of roadmap. That's the kind of
exciting diplomacy we must be engaged in.
[[Page H8506]]
The world is not the same. It's not quiet. It's not two heads of
state sitting down quietly and having tea and coming to the room and
signing the treaty. It is somebody that's hard moving. It is somebody
that can be heartless but realistic, high principles, deep compassion,
get in the way.
Thank you, Ambassador Holbrooke, for leaving with us a roadmap and
leaving us with your legacy and challenges. Because I don't know if the
Ambassador, as he was working so diligently, where he felt we were
going in Afghanistan, but I believe we must make a commitment in light
of his spirit and the sacrifice for his family, friends, as he
dedicated almost 100 percent of his time, unending, to finding a
resolution and bringing people together.
I would simply say that to President Karzai, for the spirit in which
you express your sympathy, I know that Ambassador Holbrooke would be so
grateful for movement toward resolving this conflict, toward the
ceasing of those who would move from Afghanistan to take refuge and
cover in Pakistan. He would welcome the rising up of both governments
to go against those acts of terror that were killing their people. He
would welcome the resolve of those heads of state to continue fighting
for peace and welcome the growth, development, and opportunity for the
Pakistani people and the people of Afghanistan. He would welcome that.
And I would simply say, we owe this giant of a man that kind of
tribute.
Words obviously are nice and nice to be heard. But I would hope that
we would be most effective in carrying forth his legacy by actually
putting to the test how we can resolve the conflict in Afghanistan
without a protracted extension, but also to put the burden, the extra
burden of bringing peace, on the Government of Afghanistan and its
people working with us, with that aggressive spirit, can-do spirit that
we can solve this and, yes, working with the people of Pakistan.
Let me just relay a story in pictures and show you why this, again,
hands-on diplomat was everywhere, meeting now with the President of
Pakistan and developing a relationship, a relationship that was tough
but good and sincere.
And I pay tribute to the Pakistani Government for the kind words that
they have said. And I think the meaningful words, particularly the
Ambassador to the United States, who has expressed, from Pakistan, his
deepest sympathy. Here with President Karzai. Often they were together
and had frank and to-the-point conversation. You can't engage in hand-
to-hand diplomacy without being in place where those leaders are,
making them feel comfortable that you're working on their behalf.
This is his early stages with President Clinton, who appointed him to
the United Nations. You can see that he moved around, and he was eager
to be known as a person who, if he got the call, would come.
Let me share some of these live pictures with him that have him and
clearly speak to the action that Ambassador Holbrooke was.
{time} 2230
This looks to me as the Pakistani flood when he was going into the
camps, the most horrific flood over the last couple months that covered
some two-thirds of Pakistan. People were moved from their land--
disastrous, devastating conditions. Ambassador Holbrooke did not miss
an opportunity to go and to check, in this instance, on children and to
see what they were doing.
Here, you will find him not sitting in a traditional chair but
sitting with the people. And I speculate that this is a meeting in
Afghanistan, but here is a man and his child. And Ambassador Holbrooke
is not standing. He is not sitting in a chair as we know it, but he is
with the people and he is engaging. This is the style, the diplomatic
style of Ambassador Holbrooke.
Again, this is not in the comfort of the State Department or any
office building, but here he is with the military personnel on one of
our battlefields, and my speculation is that again this is in
Afghanistan.
Greeting again the people, letting them know that he cares. And,
again, Ambassador Holbrooke on the move, meeting some of our allies,
some of the coalition forces or the forces that work along with the
Afghan forces. Here he is again in the field shaking hands and
indicating his interests.
Here, with women, as he greets them. Another out in the field, hands
on, ready to serve. Meeting with our military personnel. And, again,
always interacting, and our Ambassador to Afghanistan constantly being
engaged.
Involving himself again with the people and in the camps. Here,
meeting with others who are in camp and being displaced, always
working, always hands on.
We can learn a lot from Ambassador Holbrooke, and we can learn a lot
from his never say never attitude and his willingness, if you will, to
ensure that the solution is his top priority.
Let me just remind you again of how early Ambassador Holbrooke
started his career. He had a tremendous career with the United States
State Department, and he had actually begun with a response to
President Kennedy's call to service for government work in the early
1960s. He always had it in him. Ambassador Holbrooke was undoubtedly a
public servant ever since he graduated from Brown University in 1962,
when he joined the Foreign Service and was sent to Vietnam. A tough
assignment.
At the young age of 24, Richard Holbrooke, an expert on Vietnam
issues, was appointed to a team of Vietnam experts, the Phoenix
Program, under President Lyndon B. Johnson. Ambassador Holbrooke has
always been a champion of peace and democracy, and this began at a
young age with a profound dedication to the United States'
international diplomacy efforts. Since beginning his career in foreign
policy at such a young age, he obviously was at the forefront, at the
1968 peace talks, director of the Peace Corps in Morocco, or as the
editor of the Foreign Policy Magazine.
Let me make that clear. He served as the director of the Peace Corps
in that area in 1968. Ambassador Holbrooke was always and has always
been an archetype of the United States' diplomacy, and his resume only
serves to demonstrate how he has been consequential to diplomacy in
some of our generation's most tumultuous events.
So, my friends, I thought it was important, shocked, dismayed, and
saddened by the loss of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, that we not fail
to acknowledge his legacy in the hours after his passing; for there are
still people dying in Afghanistan, civilians; there are still our
soldiers on the front lines; there are still terrorists, Taliban,
hiding in the mountains of Pakistan, allegations that Osama bin Laden
is there as well.
So we know that the world that Ambassador Holbrooke was so engaged in
goes on, but we cannot allow it to go on without a pause for a moment
to be able to say thank you to this giant of a man, bulldozer for
peace, America's peacemaker, but a credit to the world; and, as I said
in my earlier remarks, someone who loved this country and loved the
ability to draw disaster and to draw nonbelievers out into the open and
to make it right; to help the people in a disaster, and to draw those
nonbelievers into the circle of diplomacy to get them working on peace.
That is what you were about, Ambassador Holbrooke. I am glad to have
been able to call you acquaintance, yes, friend, but most of all an
American hero. Such a strong legacy.
I know that this is a very sad time for so many, and so I rise on the
floor this evening to be able again to offer my deepest sympathy. But
what I would also say is that we have so much to be thankful for, so
much to study and read, so much to emulate, so much to be able to go
on, so much to use in the continuing effort for peace. We have got a
roadmap left to us by Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. And remember an
earlier comment that, if he asked you to do something, don't waste your
time saying no, because more than likely, with a little pain, you will
be there saying yes.
So why don't we just keep his legacy ongoing, realize that he has
asked us to continue to make peace. And as long as we fight against it,
it is going to be painful, but if we can gather our thoughts together,
if we can continue to work together, to work with this administration,
the President, the Secretary of State, and the Congress, and really
realize that the important end game is peace in Afghanistan and an
independent peaceful Pakistan and a
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peaceful region, but with the idea that people of those countries must
take on that burden and really desire peace--maybe that is the message
that they have gotten in this terrible tragedy, to desire peace and to
fight for it--if that is the case, then this hands-on, lively, and
well-versed diplomat's legacy will be embedded in the next days, hours,
minutes, next couple of months when we might see a glimmer of sunshine
reflecting the hands-on evidence of a man that never tired of seeking
people to find peace.
I hope that, as we mourn the loss of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke,
the tribute that we give to him that will be ongoing will be an
unceasing quest for peace, and I hope that we will find it in his name.
On behalf of the fallen men and women who have given their lives for
peace in the United States military, on behalf of the people of the
United States of America, we are indeed grateful for the service of
Ambassador Holbrooke, and we tell his family thank you for sharing him
with the American people.
I submit for inclusion in the Record additional materials.
With that, I humbly I yield back my time in the name of peace and
respect for Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.
On Monday, I was extremely saddened to hear about the death of
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. He was a great leader and a dedicated
representative of peace and democracy throughout the world. I extend my
deepest condolences to Ambassador Holbrooke's family, his wife Kati
Marton, his brother, Andrew, and his children, David, Anthony,
Christopher and Elizabeth.
Ambassador Holbrooke has had a tremendous career with the United
States State Department, which began with a response to President
Kennedy's call to service for government work in the early 1960s.
Ambassador Holbrooke was undoubtedly a public servant ever since his
graduation from Brown University in 1962, when he joined the Foreign
Service and was sent to Vietnam. At the young age of 24, Richard
Holbrooke, an expert on Vietnam issues, was appointed to a team of
Vietnam experts, the Phoenix Program, under President Lyndon B.
Johnson. Ambassador Holbrooke has always been a champion of peace and
democracy, and this began at a young age with a profound dedication to
the United States' international diplomacy efforts.
Since beginning his career in foreign policy at such an young age,
Ambassador Holbrooke was always at the forefront of international
political issues, whether it was as a public servant at the 1968 Paris
Peace Talks, Director of the Peace Corps in Morocco, or as the editor
of Foreign Policy magazine. Ambassador Holbrooke will always be an
archetype of United States diplomacy, and his resume only serves to
demonstrate how he has been consequential to diplomacy in some of our
generation's most tumultuous events.
Ambassador Holbrooke never relented in his efforts to expand his
efforts to pursue U.S. interests of diplomacy and democracy
internationally. In 1977, under President Carter, Richard Holbrooke was
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. As the
youngest person to have been appointed to that position, Ambassador
Holbrooke oversaw the normalization of relations with China in 1978,
and the warming of the Cold War during his tenure. His diplomatic
achievements do not culminate with the establishment of diplomatic
relations with China--instead they continued, and arguably exceeded
anyone's expectations.
When President Clinton took office in 1993, Mr. Holbrooke returned to
work for the United States Government with the State Department. His
first appointment was as the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, where he
participated in the founding of the American Academy in Berlin as a
cultural exchange center.
In 1994, he returned to Washington after being appointed by President
Clinton to be the Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Canadian Affairs, where he was the lead negotiator in the Balkan Wars.
He was strategic in establishing a lasting peace at the Dayton talks
that undoubtedly saved thousands of lives. The 1995 Dayton peace
accords ended the war in Bosnia--but it required an agreement by the
three warring factions, the Serbs, the Croats, and the Bosnian Muslims.
Holbrooke's role in this is lasting; he ended the three-year war, and
helped develop the framework for a dividing Bosnia into two entities,
one of the Bosnian Serbs and another of the Croatians and Muslims.
Ambassador Holbrooke is a hero of U.S. diplomacy, and undoubtedly had a
tremendous importance in facilitating peace, in whatever form, in
Bosnia.
After playing a key role in the Dayton Peace Talks, President Bill
Clinton named Mr. Holbrooke the next representative of the United
States to the United Nations. Ambassador Holbrooke demonstrated his
drive to securing international peace, and his dedication to diplomatic
efforts.
His work never ceased, and it continued with President Obama. Under
the Obama administration, Ambassador Holbrooke was appointed Special
Envoy to Pakistan and to Afghanistan--a region that contains the United
States' greatest national security concerns. Just as his responsibility
unfolded in the Balkans, his responsibility in Pakistan and Afghanistan
posed a major challenge that would not have an easy solution. As we all
know, the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan are multidimensional and
are problems that could not be solved overnight. Ambassador Holbrooke
knew this, yet he commendably took on the role, and worked courageously
and diplomatically in a densely complicated region.
Ambassador Holbrooke was the intermediary between Afghanistan,
Pakistan and the United States. Ambassador Holbrooke was fighting,
diplomatically, to stabilize the often unpredictable and always
fluctuating region. The fight continues to be multifaceted, and
Ambassador Holbrooke dealt with fragile economies, containing
corruption within governments and elections, destabilizing the Taliban
resurgency, a rampant narcotics trade, the presence of Al Qaeda, and
maintaining peace and security, all while promoting United States
diplomatic efforts. Representing the United States, Ambassador
Holbrooke worked to promote economic development in Pakistan through
the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Bill, and worked with the Afghani Government and
administration to reduce U.S. combat troops and to forge a lasting
peace in the region.
He is an example to us all, his life was foreign policy, his
dedication was to the United States, and his motivation was diplomacy.
Ambassador Holbrooke will always be regarded as a true American
diplomat, one who strived for international peace throughout his entire
career, of nearly fifty years, as a public servant.
[From the USA Today, Dec. 14, 2010]
`Bulldozer,' `Giant' of Diplomacy Holbrooke Dies--Among Credits: '95
Bosnian Pact
(By the Associated Press)
Washington--Richard Holbrooke, a brilliant and feisty U.S.
diplomat who wrote part of the Pentagon Papers, was the
architect of the 1995 Bosnia peace plan and served as
President Obama's special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan,
died Monday, the State Department said. He was 69.
Obama praised Holbrooke for making the country safer,
calling him ``a true giant of American foreign policy.''
Holbrooke, whose forceful style earned him nicknames such
as ``The Bulldozer'' and ``Raging Bull,'' was admitted to the
hospital on Friday after becoming ill at the State
Department. The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
had surgery Saturday to repair a tear in his aorta.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called him one of
the nation's ``fiercest champions and most dedicated public
servants.''
Holbrooke served under every Democratic president from John
F. Kennedy to Obama in a career that began with a foreign
service posting in Vietnam in 1962, and included time as a
member of the U.S. delegation to the Paris Peace Talks on
Vietnam.
His sizable ego, tenacity and willingness to push hard for
diplomatic results won him both admiration and animosity.
``If Richard calls you and asks you for something, just say
yes,'' former secretary of State Henry Kissinger once said.
``If you say no, you'll eventually get to yes, but the
journey will be very painful.''
He learned to become extremely informed about whatever
country he was in. He would push for an exit strategy and
look for ways to get those who live in a country to take
responsibility for their own security.
Holbrooke said in 1999 that he has no qualms about
``negotiating with people who do immoral things.''
``If you can prevent the deaths of people still alive,
you're not doing a disservice to those already killed by
trying to do so,'' he said.
With his decades of service and long list of
accomplishments, Holbrooke missed out on a tour as secretary
of State, a job he was known to covet. As U.N. ambassador, he
was a member of the Clinton Cabinet but his sometimes-brash
and combative style contrasted with that of Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright.
Born in New York City on April 24, 1941, Holbrooke had an
interest in public service early on.
At the Johnson White House, he wrote one volume of the
Pentagon Papers, an internal government study of U.S.
involvement in Vietnam that was completed in 1967. The study,
leaked in 1971 by a former Defense Department aide, had many
damaging revelations, including a memo that stated the reason
for fighting in Vietnam was based far more on preserving U.S.
prestige than preventing communism.
One of his signature achievements was brokering the Dayton
Peace Accords that ended the war in Bosnia. He detailed the
experience in his 1998 memoir, To End a War.
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