Richard Holbrooke

With Secretary Clinton, Why Envoys?

Taylor Marsh | Posted 12.07.2009 | World


Taylor Marsh

Even though Sec. Clinton's power among Israelis is strong, she's not the one facing doubt. It's likely only Pres. Obama can make the Israelis move to meet the Palestinians.

US Bid To Bypass Karzai's Afghan Government Upsets Allies

guardian.co.uk | Julian Borger | Posted 11.30.2009 | World


The US is seeking to extend its control over the day-to-day running of Afghanistan with the appointment of an international "high representative" in K...

An Interview With Matthew Hoh

Derrick Crowe | Posted 11.21.2009 | World


Derrick Crowe

If Matthew Hoh could tell you one thing to help you understand the United States' predicament in Afghanistan, it's that the presence of our ground combat troops is not doing anything to defeat al Qaeda.

Too Big to Fail?: Why All the President's Afghan Options Are Bad Ones

Tom Engelhardt | Posted 11.01.2009 | World


Tom Engelhardt

Our leaders evidently never saw a war to which the word "more" didn't apply. Hence the Afghan War, where impending disaster is just an invitation to fuel the flames of an already roaring fire.

Hillary Clinton Has Intense Exchange With Students In Pakistan

news.aol.com | Posted 10.29.2009 | Politics


U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday that Pakistan squandered opportunities over the years to kill or capture leaders of the a...

Basic Truths in Hoh Resignation Letter Were True When He Took His Job

David Quigg | Posted 10.30.2009 | World


David Quigg

The basic grim truths that Matthew Hoh wrote about in his much-quoted resignation letter were all basically true when he took his job a few months ago.

Richard Holbrooke: 'Administration Worked Seamlessly' on Runoff Agreement

Taylor Marsh | Posted 10.22.2009 | Politics


Taylor Marsh

Holbrooke said that we got Karzai to agree to the runoff "by the skin" of our teeth, by "this much," changing metaphors and holding up two fingers to show less than an inch.

Where Is Richard Holbrooke?

McClatchy | Posted 10.19.2009 | Politics


We're in the midst of the biggest political crisis in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001. Pakistan has launched a major offe...

The United States and Afghanistan

John Flerlage | Posted 11.30.2009 | Denver


John Flerlage

Rep. Coffman refuses to support our commander in chief or our troops with anything other than conflicting rhetoric. Our nation should plan to begin, by Sept. 2010, withdrawal of combat units across Afghanistan.

Strategic Communications: The Debate Continues

John Brown | Posted 11.28.2009 | World


John Brown

General McChrystal's assessment of the war in Afghanistan reflects the continuing debate within the U.S. government on the role of strategic communications in going forward.

9/11: Never Again?

Michael Brenner | Posted 11.14.2009 | Politics


Michael Brenner

Let's drop the childish game of scaring ourselves with the likes of high school drop-out Jose Padilla and similarly I.Q. challenged riff-raff. In doing so, we are behaving like kids who conjure monsters.

NY Hotel Asked Not To Host Ahmadinejad

nypost.com | Posted 11.08.2009 | World


An influential security group with White House connections is campaigning to stop a posh New York hotel from hosting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadin...

Holbrooke Compares Afghan Vote Fraud To Minn. Senate Race

Talking Points Memo | Eric Kleefeld | Posted 10.18.2009 | Politics


In a press conference in Paris, U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke downplayed the issue of fraud in the Afghanistan election -- even...

Pakistan's India Infatuation

Saad Khan | Posted 10.17.2009 | World


Saad Khan

India is not a threat to Pakistan, Islamic militancy is. If Pakistan's leaders are still not able to overcome their 'infatuation' with India, then it could prove disastrous for regional stability.

Strategic Communications and the Graveyard of Empires

John Brown | Posted 09.29.2009 | World


John Brown

A conflict between Richard Holbrooke and Admiral Michael Mullen over public diplomacy in Afghanistan could be no more than the usual Washington tempest in a teapot. Or it might reflect a major problem.

Holbrooke, Karzai Have "Explosive Meeting" Over Afghan Election

BBC NEWS | Posted 09.27.2009 | World


The BBC has learned that the US special envoy to Afghanistan has had what has been described as "an explosive meeting" with President Hamid Karzai ove...

Afghan Elections Give Pakistan Bleak Hope

Naveen Naqvi | Posted 09.24.2009 | World


Naveen Naqvi

Though Pakistanis had once bristled at the idea of being lumped in with the Afghan state, there is now a subtle admission that their futures are shared.

Baitullah Mehsud's Death Doesn't Change Pakistan's Perception Of The US

Naveen Naqvi | Posted 09.21.2009 | World


Naveen Naqvi

The recent killing of Baitullah Mehsud by a US-led drone attack still does not seem to work in favor of the drone attacks.

Not Building the Afghan State, Protecting the United States

Jonathan Morgenstein | Posted 09.20.2009 | World


Jonathan Morgenstein

Clearly, we would prefer the Afghan government take on this mission, but until they can do so themselves, in order to prevent more American civilian deaths, we must do it ourselves.

Holbrooke's Projects Long Occupation of Afghanistan, Pakistan

Tom Hayden | Posted 09.14.2009 | World


Tom Hayden

The conference on Afghanistan with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, sponsored by the Center for American Progress on August 12 turned into a disappointing press conference

U.S. Policymakers Let the Vietnam/Afghanistan Comparison Out of the Bag

Derrick Crowe | Posted 09.08.2009 | World


Derrick Crowe

Here's a tip for policymakers: if you're in a situation that's requiring you to look to the American experience in VIetnam for guidance, you should start looking for the door.

Beyond How Many Troops

Noam Unger | Posted 08.02.2009 | World


Noam Unger

The key in Afghanistan is the economy and not the military. The public should be demanding deeper press coverage of U.S. policy and strategy related to economic development.

Ballots Not Bullets for Afghanistan

Amb. Tim Carney | Posted 08.02.2009 | World


Amb. Tim Carney

If Afghans believe their government can ensure that their basic needs are met, then they will not support those who seek to undermine it through force and intimidation.

Pakistan Mosque Bombing Kills 30 As Richard Holbrooke Meets With Pakistani Officials

AP | RIAZ KHAN | Posted 07.06.2009 | World


PESHAWAR, Pakistan — An attacker wearing an explosive vest blew himself up inside a packed mosque during Friday prayers, killing at least 30 and...

Pakistani Swat Anti-Taliban Offensive Near End, Pak Media Reports

Rani Singh | Posted 07.03.2009 | World


Rani Singh

Pakistani media outlets are reporting that the anti-Taliban counter-offensive launched by the Pakistani army is largely over.