POLITICO: …Holbrooke’s troubles within the administration began almost as soon as he was named Obama’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan in early 2009. According to numerous accounts, though he was nominally supposed to report to the president, Holbrooke was largely ignored and restrained by then-National Security Adviser James Jones and a coterie of close aides around Obama, including the current chief of staff, Denis McDonough.
This was especially true when Holbrooke sought to tackle larger regional issues, in particular the tense relationship between India and Pakistan, which the Pakistani military and intelligence apparatus have historically used to justify their support of Islamist radicals like the Taliban. The White House denied his request to make India and specifically Kashmir part of his portfolio, although that disputed province, situated between Pakistan and India, has given birth to numerous Pakistan-supported jihadist groups. Nor did Holbrooke get support from the White House when he sought to confront Afghan President Hamid Karzai over corruption, critics say.
Marton says that the backbiting and jealousy in the first term, especially between the White House and State Department as well as with Holbrooke, only hurt the administration in the end… (more)
EDITOR: For those of us who followed the times in general and are familiar with Holbrooke’s career, this is a very interesting read.
Agree with him on everything or not, Holbrooke was a true American hero.
Nothing in it surprises me very much. Much as I like Obama otherwise, I never thought that his foreign policy and the White House foreign policy team accomplished much for the United States.
A major reason for the emergence of the Islamic State and its many early successes, as well as its success in recruiting thousands of foreigners, even from countries like the U.K. and France, is the naive and timid White House policy on the Middle East.
Future historians will lay this and other unpleasant world events (Ukraine, etc.) at Obama’s feet and thereby tarnish the many good works of his presidency.