Richard Holbrooke, veteran US diplomat, dies
Veteran US diplomat Richard Holbrooke has died following a second round of surgery to treat a torn aorta.
He fell ill on Friday while meeting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.He was President Barack Obama's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The presidents of both nations had called to wish him well, prior to his death.
Mr Obama called the 69-year-old, who was known for bringing warring leaders to the negotiating table, a "true giant of American foreign policy".
Mr Holbrooke was meeting Ms Clinton at the US state department on Friday morning when he collapsed.
He was rushed to the US capital's George Washington University Hospital, where he underwent surgery to repair a tear in his aorta - the largest artery in the human body, which carries oxygenated blood from the heart.
Mr Holbrooke's death comes as the Obama administration prepares to make public its latest review of US policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan later this week.
'Foreign policy giant' Following the news of his death, Mr Obama said: "Michelle and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Richard Holbrooke, a true giant of American foreign policy who has made America stronger, safer and more respected.
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He was indefatigable, determined and incredibly well-informed about the details. He rubbed many people the wrong way, including Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
When he was asked in the US Congress what success would look like in Afghanistan he answered, "We'll know it when we see it." But he was one of the first to say publicly that the US strategy in Afghanistan needed to be fixed.
His absence will be felt at the state department and around Washington, as well as in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Diplomats here say he leaves behind a strong team and a strategy that is in a "good phase". His deputy, Frank Ruggiero, will take over in the interim.
Analysis
From the day he was appointed special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mr Holbrooke played a central role shaping the policy and the inter-agency process, making sure the Pentagon, the state department and USAID were all on the same page. His team at the state department focused heavily on developing the civilian side of the strategy, which he believed was crucial.He was indefatigable, determined and incredibly well-informed about the details. He rubbed many people the wrong way, including Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
When he was asked in the US Congress what success would look like in Afghanistan he answered, "We'll know it when we see it." But he was one of the first to say publicly that the US strategy in Afghanistan needed to be fixed.
His absence will be felt at the state department and around Washington, as well as in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Diplomats here say he leaves behind a strong team and a strategy that is in a "good phase". His deputy, Frank Ruggiero, will take over in the interim.
"He was a truly unique figure who will be remembered for his tireless diplomacy, love of country, and pursuit of peace."
Ms Clinton also paid tribute to Mr Holbrooke's service, saying the US had lost "one of its fiercest champions and most dedicated public servants"."He was one of a kind - a true statesman - and that makes his passing all the more painful," she said in a statement.
Beginning with a foreign service posting in Vietnam in 1962, the veteran diplomat served under every Democratic president from John F Kennedy to Mr Obama.
But it was his role in Europe, helping bring to an end the war in Bosnia, that solidified his reputation as an important figure in foreign policy.
Nicknamed "the Bulldozer", the veteran diplomat once said he had no qualms about "negotiating with people who do immoral things", if it served efforts for peace.
"He's a bulldog for the globe," United Nations Foundation president Tim Wirth once said.
Mr Holbrooke was named by Mr Obama as his special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan shortly after the president took office in January 2009.
Since moving into that position under the Obama administration, he had led the difficult task of pushing Kabul and Islamabad to work together against al-Qaeda and Taliban militants.
The bruising style that served him elsewhere ruffled feathers in Pakistan, says the BBC's Orla Guerin in Islamabad. There was a sense, especially earlier on, that a more nuanced and subtle approach was needed.
But officials spoke of a "huge vacuum" left by his passing.
President Asif Ali Zardari said Mr Holbrooke had been a friend to the nation, and a friend to him. He said the best response to his death would be to recommit to the fight against militancy.
A spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Siyamak Herawi, said: "We are saddened by his death, it is a big loss. He had done great services for Afghanistan."
Mr Holbrooke, a New York City native, also served as the US ambassador to the United Nations and to Germany, as well as the assistant secretary of state.
BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall says Mr Holbrooke was famous for his blunt speaking behind the scenes, despite his handshakes and careful courtesy in public.
Never afraid to bulldoze his way to a solution, our correspondent says, he got them all, Serb, Croat and Bosnian, to sign an accord in 1995.
"He was a remarkable man, a remarkable public servant and someone who contributed enormously to the cause of a more peaceful and just world," said former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Analysts had said the veteran diplomat could one day serve as a future secretary of state.
Mr Holbrooke's deputy, Frank Ruggiero, is expected to stand in for him in the interim.
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