The United Nations is an indispensable but deeply flawed organization. It is valuable to the United States, and the United States is invaluable to it. We need to reform it. Richard Holbrooke deeplyflawedindispensable Change image and share on social
There are certain kinds of second-tier confrontations which the U.S. does not need to get directly involved in. However, even in the second tier of problems, our intervention as a friend to both sides is important. Richard Holbrooke confrontationdirectlyfriend share on social
People in uniform are not sacrosanct. They don't have all the answers. The use of force is a political decision at its core, in terms of its objectives; then the military, as the experts, must be brought in to tell you how to do it. Richard Holbrooke answerbringcore share on social
I'm not a wide-eyed imperialist who wants to see Americans manning outposts all over the world. Not outposts to freedom in the cold war cliche, but islands of stability and seas of ethnic strife. That is not what anyone should feel comfortable seeing Americans doing. Richard Holbrooke americanclichecold share on social
I still believe in the possibility of the United States, with all its will and all its strength, and I don't just mean military, persevering against any challenge. I still believe in that. Richard Holbrooke challengemilitarypersever Change image and share on social
I think history is continuous. It doesn't begin or end on Pearl Harbor Day or the day Lyndon Johnson withdraws from the presidency or on 9/11. You have to learn from the past but not be imprisoned by it. You need to take counsel of history but never be imprisoned by it. Richard Holbrooke begincontinuouscounsel share on social
I'm a product of the Kennedy era. Kennedy's Inaugural plus the accident of Dean Rusk brought me into the government. Those were my values. Richard Holbrooke accidentbringdean Change image and share on social
I think Americans understand that in Afghanistan, unlike in Iraq and Vietnam, we are fighting an enemy allied with the people who attacked us on 9/11. Richard Holbrooke afghanistanallyamerican Change image and share on social
We should not be surprised that democracy is imperfect even in Western countries. Richard Holbrooke countrydemocracyimperfect Change image and share on social
In short, you can't let the deadline define the mission. The mission has to define the duration. Richard Holbrooke deadlinedefineduration Change image and share on social
