WASHINGTON // US officials and leaders across the world were yesterday mourning the death of Richard Holbrooke, the diplomat who spearheaded efforts to end the conflict in the former Yugoslavia and who was attempting the same in his role as US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mr Holbrooke, 69, died on Monday in Washington from complications after surgery to repair a torn aorta.
Barack Obama, the US president, praised him as "a true giant of American foreign policy who has made America stronger, safer and more respected. He was a truly unique figure who will be remembered for his tireless diplomacy, love of country, and pursuit of peace".
Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, with whom Mr Holbrooke was meeting on Friday when he fell ill, called him a one-of-a-kind. "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 - and that makes his passing all the more painful."
A veteran of four Democratic administrations, Holbrooke was a diplomat to the core, even if his forceful style and no-nonsense approach also saw him bully though agreement at times. He helped shape US foreign policy for 40 years and through three wars, starting with Vietnam, where he was one of the authors of the Pentagon Papers, which detailed the US government's secret history of the war.
His defining moment, however, came in 1995, when he forged the Dayton Accords. Hammered out among warring rivals at a US air force base outside Dayton, Ohio, the agreement essentially ended the fighting in the former Yugoslavia that had cost 100,000 lives. It cemented his reputation as a presidential wartime troubleshooter, and many feel it should have earned him a Nobel Peace Prize. It was his role in that conflict that led Mr Obama to turn to him to help the administration in Afghanistan. His role there was far broader than it was in the former Yugoslavia. Holbrooke was tasked not only with finding an agreement to end the conflict, but - in charge of US civilian assistance to the country - to help restructure and build Afghan civil society.
Staffan de Mistura, the UN's special envoy to Afghanistan, yesterday described Mr Holbrooke as a "first class diplomat" who brought "energy, vision and drive" to his work addressing political instability in Afghanistan and Pakistan. His "efforts will always be remembered".
But his role there also saw him in frequent conflict with Afghanistan's leaders, and in typical style, he did not shy away from confrontation, holding the Afghan government to account on tackling corruption and providing public services. He was understood to be, in private, deeply frustrated with Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president.
Mr Karzai, who called Holbrooke's family as they held vigil at his hospital bed, said yesterday that Holbrooke had "served greatly the government and the people of the United States".
His relations with Pakistani leaders were much better and he has been credited with improving US relations with Pakistan since Mr Obama took office in January 2009.
"Pakistan has been deprived of a best friend," said Asif Ali Zardari, the president, in a statement.
Holbrooke worked tirelessly to persuade sceptical officials in Pakistan that the US was seeking a long-term relationship, rather than one that would end with the departure of US forces from Afghanistan.
Pakistani analysts were concerned that Holbrooke's passing could weaken support within the Obama administration for a negotiated political settlement in Afghanistan. His death came ahead of the scheduled announcement on Thursday of the Obama administration's revised strategy on Afghanistan.
Mr Holbrooke is survived by his wife, Kati Marton, two sons from his first marriage, two stepchildren, a brother and four grandchildren.
okarmi@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by James Reinl at the United Nations
Tell Me Who I Am
Director: Ed Perkins
Stars: Alex and Marcus Lewis
Four stars
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Company%20profile
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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BIRD%20BOX%20BARCELONA
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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In%20the%20Land%20of%20Saints%20and%20Sinners
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Mobile phone packages comparison
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Villains
Queens of the Stone Age
Matador
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The%20specs
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Brief scores:
England: 290 & 346
Sri Lanka: 336 & 243