Richard Holbrooke

Richard Holbrooke
Richard Holbrooke
Born	Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke; 24 April 1941 (age 85); New York City, U.S.
Died	13 December 2010 (aged 69)
Occupation(s)	Diplomat, writer
Years active	1962–2010
Known for	Negotiating the Dayton Peace Accords; Assistant Secretary of State for Asia and Europe; U.S. Ambassador to Germany and the United Nations

Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke (April 24, 1941 – December 13, 2010) was a distinguished American diplomat and writer. Notably, he held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for two distinct areas: Asia from 1977 to 1981, and Europe between 1994 and 1996.

Between 1993 and 1994, Holbrooke served as the United States Ambassador to Germany. He rose to greater prominence in 1995 after playing a pivotal role in negotiating the peace settlement that concluded the Bosnian conflict, culminating in the Dayton Peace Accords. Despite being a leading contender to replace Warren Christopher as Secretary of State, President Bill Clinton selected Madeleine Albright for the role in 1996.

From 1999 until 2001, Holbrooke was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He offered strategic counsel during Senator John Kerry’s 2004 presidential bid and subsequently became a chief foreign policy advisor to Senator Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign. Had either candidate prevailed, Holbrooke was widely anticipated to assume the Secretary of State position. In January 2009, he was designated as special adviser on Pakistan and Afghanistan under President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Throughout his professional life, Holbrooke concentrated on enhancing refugee welfare, with a particular emphasis on the Hmong community in Indochina. He passed away on December 13, 2010, due to complications stemming from an aortic dissection.

Holbrooke’s aspiration to become Secretary of State remained unrealized; nevertheless, he is regarded alongside George Kennan and Chip Bohlen as one of the most impactful U.S. diplomats never appointed to that office. His instrumental contribution to the Dayton Accords was widely acknowledged as worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize.

Early life

Born on April 24, 1941, in New York City, Holbrooke was the son of Dan Holbrooke (originally Goldbrajch), a physician, and Trudi Kearl (née Moos), an artist specializing in pottery. His brother Andrew survived him. His mother’s Jewish family escaped Hamburg in 1933, relocating first to Buenos Aires before settling in New York. Although his parents were atheists, his mother regularly took him to Quaker meetings on Sundays.

His father, of Polish Jewish heritage who altered the family surname upon arriving in the United States in 1939, died from colon cancer when Richard was fifteen. During his adolescence, Holbrooke spent considerable time with David Rusk, son of Dean Rusk—President Kennedy’s Secretary of State—who inspired him despite not providing direct career assistance.

After completing his education at Scarsdale High School, Holbrooke earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Brown University in 1962 on a full scholarship. He subsequently became a fellow at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs but departed in 1970. While at Brown, he held the position of Editor-in-Chief for the Brown Daily Herald during his final year.

Foreign Service (1962–1969)

Motivated by President John F. Kennedy's call for public service, Holbrooke entered the United States Foreign Service soon after graduating college and underwent intensive Vietnamese language instruction. He spent six years serving in Vietnam, initially working as a civilian representative for the Agency for International Development in the Mekong Delta, where he supported the rural Pacification Program aimed at fostering economic growth and political reform in South Vietnam. Later, he became a staff assistant to Ambassadors Maxwell Taylor and Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., obtaining this role through his association with Anthony Lake.

During this timeframe, Holbrooke collaborated with future prominent figures in American foreign policy, such as John Negroponte, Frank G. Wisner, Les Aspin, and Peter Tarnoff. At age twenty-four, he joined an expert presidential advisory group under Lyndon Johnson, operating independently from the National Security Council. Subsequently, he served as special assistant to Under Secretaries of State Nicholas Katzenbach and Elliot Richardson. In 1968, Holbrooke participated as part of the U.S. delegation at peace negotiations in Paris led by Averell Harriman and Cyrus Vance. Additionally, he contributed to drafting a segment of the classified Pentagon Papers concerning Vietnam policy decisions. Following this period, he was selected as a mid-career fellow at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School.

Peace Corps and Foreign Policy (1970–1976)

In 1970, Holbrooke assumed the role of Peace Corps Director in Morocco. Although he initially declined the position of editor at Foreign Policy magazine, he recommended John Campbell for the role. Following Campbell’s passing, Holbrooke departed from the Foreign Service to serve as managing editor from 1972 until 1976. During his tenure, the publication released investigative pieces on Vietnam and the Middle East that questioned certain perspectives within the foreign policy establishment. At the same time (1974–75), he acted as a consultant for the President's Commission on Government Organization for Foreign Policy and contributed articles to Newsweek International.

Carter Administration (1977–1981)

In 1976, Holbrooke left his position at Foreign Policy to become national security affairs campaign coordinator for Governor Jimmy Carter during his presidential run. After Carter’s election victory, Holbrooke was appointed as the youngest-ever Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs on March 31, 1977, a post he held until 1981. Serving as a principal advisor to Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, he played an instrumental role in establishing normalized diplomatic ties with China in December 1978. Additionally, Holbrooke facilitated the relocation of hundreds of thousands of Indochinese refugees to the United States, an endeavor that shaped his enduring dedication to refugee advocacy.

East Timor controversy

In August 1977, Holbrooke visited Indonesia during its occupation of East Timor, where more than 100,000 East Timorese lost their lives. Although officially advocating for human rights improvements, he instead commended President Suharto for progress made and Indonesia’s efforts to expose East Timor to Western observers, including allowing a congressman delegation under military escort to witness orchestrated pro-Indonesian festivities.

Wall Street years (1981–1993)

Holbrooke exited government service in January 1981 to become senior advisor at Lehman Brothers and vice president of Public Strategies, a consulting firm he co-founded alongside James A. Johnson. Between 1985 and 1993, he served as managing director at Lehman Brothers. He also co-wrote Counsel to the President, the bestselling memoirs of Defense Secretary Clark Clifford (1991). During this timeframe, Holbrooke advised Senator Al Gore in his 1988 presidential campaign and later supported Bill Clinton’s victorious 1992 campaign.

Throughout these years, Holbrooke maintained involvement in foreign affairs by traveling twice to Bosnia in 1992 as a board member of Refugees International. Confronted with the conflict's destruction firsthand, he advocated for stronger U.S. engagement in the Balkans, highlighting Bosnia as a crucial measure of American leadership in Europe.

U.S. Ambassador to Germany (1993–1994)

After Bill Clinton’s election in 1993, Holbrooke was initially considered for Ambassador to Japan due to his expertise on Asia; however, Walter Mondale was appointed instead. Consequently, Holbrooke was named Ambassador to Germany. His tenure coincided with significant developments following German reunification and included contributions to U.S. strategies on NATO expansion and the Bosnia crisis.

During this period, Holbrooke helped reshape U.S.-Germany relations amid a transformative era. A notable highlight was President Clinton’s widely attended visit to Berlin in 1994. That same year, Holbrooke proposed founding a cultural exchange center linking Berlin and the United States, which led to the creation of The American Academy in Berlin with co-Chairs Richard von Weizsäcker and Henry Kissinger. Established in 1997 on the historic Wannsee estate, the Academy has evolved into a prominent transatlantic institution hosting acclaimed fellows such as Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, economists, and diplomats.

The Academy also awards the annual Henry A. Kissinger Award for Transatlantic Relations; notable honorees have included former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt (2007) and former U.S. President George H. W. Bush (2008).

Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs (1994–1996)

Holbrooke was named Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs in 1994, a position he held until 1996 when he resigned to move back to New York following his marriage to author Kati Marton. During his tenure, he spearheaded initiatives to advance NATO expansion and led critical negotiations aimed at resolving the Balkans conflict.

On August 19, an armored personnel carrier trailing the Humvee carrying Holbrooke slipped off Mt. Igman near Sarajevo, resulting in the deaths of three members of the five-person delegation. While Holbrooke depicted himself and General Clark as actively involved in the rescue efforts, biographer George Packer clarified that Colonel Banky conducted the search operation while Holbrooke and Clark stayed close to the Humvee. The accident was attributed to the APC driver’s excessive speed.

Holbrooke played a pivotal role as the principal negotiator of the December 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, which brought an end to Bosnia’s three-and-a-half-year war. In recognition of his substantial contributions to European peace and liberty, he was awarded the Manfred Wörner Medal by Germany’s Ministry of Defense in 1996.

Balkan envoy (1996–1999)

After departing from the State Department, President Clinton appointed Holbrooke as a special envoy to the Balkans and Cyprus on a voluntary basis. Between 1998 and 1999, he engaged in efforts to halt hostilities between Yugoslav forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army during the Kosovo War. In March 1999, Holbrooke presented an ultimatum to Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milošević in Belgrade just prior to NATO’s commencement of air strikes. Known for his firm opposition to Serbia, Holbrooke openly referred to Serbs as "murderous assholes."

Drawing on his Balkan experiences, Holbrooke authored several articles and published To End a War in 1998—a memoir detailing his involvement in negotiating the Dayton Peace Accords that concluded the Bosnian civil war. The book was recognized as one of The New York Times' top eleven books of that year. He criticized Bosnian president Alija Izetbegovic for lacking genuine democratic principles despite promoting multi-ethnic rhetoric.

Controversy arose when Radovan Karadžić and former Bosnian foreign minister Muhamed Sacirbey alleged that Holbrooke promised not to refer Karadžić to the Hague tribunal if he withdrew from politics; Holbrooke vehemently denied this claim, labeling it "a flat-out lie." Both Holbrooke and Carl Bildt were considered contenders for the Nobel Peace Prize due to their Dayton negotiations, although Holbrooke’s active campaigning may have diminished their prospects.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1999–2001)

In August 1999, Holbrooke was sworn in as the 22nd U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, taking over from Bill Richardson. Although there were initial Senate reservations regarding his previous conduct as Clinton’s Balkan envoy, Holbrooke secured important diplomatic achievements that enhanced U.S.-UN relations. His most notable success was brokering a landmark agreement with all 188 UN member states to resolve much of America’s outstanding arrears. This deal, finalized in December 2000, aligned U.S. payments with legislation supported by Senators Jesse Helms and Joseph Biden, resulting in over $900 million paid toward back dues.

Holbrooke chose not to reside at the official ambassadorial residence at the Waldorf Astoria, instead allowing his chief of staff temporary occupancy. Capitalizing on a robust U.S. economy, he embedded America’s stance within broader UN financial reforms to secure dues reduction. A key element was an unprecedented donation from billionaire Ted Turner, founder of the UN Foundation, which bridged gaps between U.S. legal constraints and other nations’ expectations. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee honored Holbrooke and his team with a standing ovation for this accomplishment.

Additional achievements included convincing the UN Security Council to recognize HIV/AIDS as a global security threat—the first resolution of its kind—and leveraging the U.S. presidency of the Council in 2000 to highlight crises in Africa through six consecutive debates featuring leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Vice President Al Gore. Holbrooke condemned what he described as a "double standard" regarding inadequate international focus on African conflicts.

During 2000, he led Security Council diplomatic missions throughout Africa, visiting countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Uganda. Holbrooke also succeeded in securing Israel’s admission into the UN’s Western European and Others Group, ending its longstanding exclusion and enabling Israel to pursue leadership positions within UN subcommittees. In his final weeks at the UN, he obtained consultative status for Hadassah despite opposition from certain Arab delegations.

GBCHealth

In January 2000, while the United States held the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, Ambassador Holbrooke organized a groundbreaking Security Council session focused on AIDS in Africa—marking the first time the UN dedicated a meeting to a health matter. Vice President Al Gore chaired the session, declaring AIDS a threat to global security.

Following his tenure at the UN, Holbrooke revitalized an NGO initially struggling to engage businesses in the fight against AIDS, expanding its membership from 17 to more than 225 within six years. Originally known as the Global Business Council on HIV/AIDS, it broadened its scope in 2006 to address malaria and tuberculosis, becoming the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. In 2011, it was renamed GBCHealth, reflecting an expanded commitment to diverse health challenges. GBCHealth functions as the central business mobilization platform supporting The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, playing a significant role in combating these epidemics.

Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign

During Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential bid, Holbrooke served as her chief foreign policy advisor and was widely regarded as her top candidate for Secretary of State. After Barack Obama won the nomination and appointed Clinton as Secretary of State, Holbrooke was her preferred pick for Deputy Secretary of State; however, President Obama ultimately blocked this appointment.

Special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (2009–2010)

In January 2009, President Obama named Holbrooke special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP). Although he had pursued the secretary of state position, Hillary Clinton requested that he assume this newly established SRAP role—a position he had previously championed. His performance in this capacity was viewed as underwhelming; he struggled to build rapport with President Obama and maintained a strained relationship with Vice President Joe Biden. Holbrooke's efforts to back Afghan President Hamid Karzai's political rivals during Karzai’s reelection campaign led to his diminished standing within the administration. Conversely, Pakistani civilians appreciated his dedication to strengthening bilateral relations. He also played a part in preventing the creation of a UN special envoy tasked with facilitating peace negotiations with the Taliban.

Holbrooke promoted investment in Afghanistan's agricultural sector as an economical strategy to encourage economic stability and advocated for reconsidering aggressive drug eradication policies. Nevertheless, analyst David Corn noted that Holbrooke failed to cultivate a productive partnership with Karzai, encountered conflicts with other administration officials, was dismissed by European counterparts, and did not achieve any major diplomatic breakthroughs.

Other activities

Holbrooke held the position of vice chairman at Perseus LLC, a prominent private equity firm, and served on the Board of Directors of American International Group from 2001 through 2008. His board memberships extended to organizations such as the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and the Economic Club of New York. He was also affiliated with the Trilateral Commission. Holbrooke founded the American Academy in Berlin and chaired the Asia Society. Until his appointment as special envoy in 2009, he led the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Additional board roles included involvement with the American Museum of Natural History, Malaria No More, Partnership for a Secure America, and the National Endowment for Democracy. He served as an honorary trustee of the Dayton International Peace Museum and held a professor-at-large position at Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies.

In finance, Holbrooke acted as vice chairman at Credit Suisse First Boston and was managing director at Lehman Brothers. His editorial experience includes serving as managing editor of Foreign Policy, alongside directing Peace Corps operations in Morocco.

He authored two books: To End a War and co-wrote Counsel to the President, while also contributing to The Pentagon Papers. Over his career, he received more than a dozen honorary degrees, such as an LL.D. from Bates College awarded in 1999. His writings appeared regularly as monthly columns in The Washington Post and Project Syndicate.

On March 20, 2007, Holbrooke made an appearance on The Colbert Report portraying an 'ambassador on call' mediating a dispute between Stephen Colbert and Willie Nelson over ice cream flavor rights, which concluded with a musical performance.

He was recognized as an Eminent Member of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation until his passing.

In June 2008, Conde Nast Portfolio revealed that Holbrooke and his son had received several below-market loans from Countrywide Financial through its "Friends of Angelo" VIP program associated with CEO Angelo Mozilo.

A 2015 HBO documentary titled The Diplomat, directed by his son David Holbrooke, chronicled his professional journey using recordings from Holbrooke's private audio diary maintained from August 2010 until his death.

Holbrooke participated in every conference hosted by the Bilderberg Group between 1995 and 2010 as a member of its Steering Committee.

Positions

In January 2001, Holbrooke identified Iraq as a significant challenge for the newly inaugurated Bush administration at the United Nations. He characterized Saddam Hussein's conduct as perilous, emphasizing the regime's nature and its suspected arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, which posed an ongoing threat both regionally and internationally.

On February 24, 2007, Holbrooke presented the weekly radio address for the Democratic Party, calling for "a revised approach in Iraq." His proposal included a gradual withdrawal of U.S. forces alongside intensified diplomatic efforts within the Gulf region aimed at stabilizing Iraq.

Regarding the 2008 South Ossetia war (August 1–16, 2008) between Russia and Georgia, Holbrooke remarked in a CNN interview that he had foreseen the outbreak of this conflict earlier that year.

Personal life

Holbrooke entered into matrimony three times. His first union with Larrine Sullivan in 1964 resulted in two sons, David and Anthony; the marriage ended in divorce in 1972. In 1977, he wed Blythe Babyak, a reporter for MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, but their marriage concluded the following year. From 1995 until his passing, he was married to Kati Marton. Prior to this marriage, he maintained a seven-year relationship with journalist Diane Sawyer.

Holbrooke once shared a close friendship with diplomat Anthony Lake, whom he met during the early 1960s in Vietnam. Lake played a supportive role in Holbrooke's early career; however, their relationship deteriorated after Holbrooke engaged in an affair with Lake's wife, resulting in minimal contact by the time Lake assumed the role of National Security Advisor under President Bill Clinton.

Death

On December 11, 2010, Holbrooke was hospitalized at George Washington University Hospital in Washington D.C. after becoming ill at State Department headquarters. He underwent an extensive twenty-hour operation to address an aortic dissection, a rare medical condition. Holbrooke passed away on December 13, 2010, due to complications from the torn aorta. Reportedly, his final words before sedation for surgery were: "You've got to end this war in Afghanistan."

His remains were laid to rest at Oakland Cemetery located in Sag Harbor, New York.

Legacy

Frank Rich of The New York Times characterized Holbrooke's death as a profound loss, underscoring his pivotal influence on affairs in Afghanistan and Pakistan. President Obama lauded Holbrooke’s enduring legacy as an emblematic representative of America on the global stage.

A memorial service honoring Holbrooke took place on January 14, 2011, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The 2014 film Diplomacy was dedicated to his memory. In 2015, his son David directed The Diplomat, a documentary highlighting his father’s diplomatic career and accomplishments.

A street in Pristina, Kosovo’s capital city, is named after him using the Albanian transliteration "Riçard Holbruk."

Recognition

Holbrooke was awarded the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement in 1999.

In 2011, President Obama inaugurated the Richard C. Holbrooke Award for Diplomacy, which annually honors up to five recipients selected by the Secretary of State for "especially meritorious contributions to diplomacy."

Books

To End a War. New York: Random House (1998). .
Counsel to the President

Articles

"The Machine That Fails". Foreign Policy, vol. 1 (1970): 65–77.
"Japan and the United States: Ending the Unequal Partnership". Foreign Affairs, vol. 70 (1990): 41.
"America, a European Power". Foreign Affairs, vol. 74, no. 2 (Mar.–Apr. 1995): 38–51.

Reports

East Asia in Transition: Challenges for the Trilateral Countries: A Task Force Report to the Trilateral Commission. New York: Trilateral Commission (1998). .

External links

Official Biography at the United States Department of State
Collection of writings and speeches hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations
Archive of columns at The Washington Post
Memorial page at The Asia Society
- Interview conducted by Nermeen Shaikh
- Speech delivered at Asia Society’s 50th anniversary gala in 2006
Profile at Aljazeera
Obituary and tributes at BBC News
- Bulldozer of the Balkans, BBC News, 1998
Tribute to Richard C. Holbrooke, 1941–2010 at Foreign Policy
Coverage at The Guardian
Remembrance at The New Republic
Profile at The New York Times
Obituary at The Daily Telegraph
Remembering Ambassador Richard Holbrooke at Time
Video on Holbrooke's contributions in East Timor, Iraq and the Balkans – by Democracy Now!
Charlie Rose: Tribute to Richard Holbrooke, December 14, 2010

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