Obama asks Dennis Ross, Richard Haass, and Richard Holbrooke to Serve as Envoys

[babylonsister]

Ross, Holbrooke, Haass To Serve As Envoys

07 Jan 2009 08:35 am


Transition officials confirm that President-elect Obama has asked Dennis Ross, Richard Haass, and Richard Holbrooke, to serve as his chief emissaries to world hot spots.

It's expected that Ross will get the Iran portfolio, that Holbrooke, the hard-headed architect of the Dayton Peace Accords, will take the tough (and tougher) Southwest Asia portfolio, which includes India, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and that Haass will deal with the Middle East.

Each men's turf is still in flux, so the assignments might change. Other envoys will be added to this list; they'll deal with Africa and South America.

All three have the chops; all three are considered realists; all three have direct experience as envoys; Haass was the U.S. government's chief negotiator in Northern Ireland; Ross shuttled between Mideast capitals during the Clinton administration, and Holbrooke, as mentioned, brought warring sides together in the Balkans. Haas served under Presidents Clinton and Bush and is currently the president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

A transition spokesman declined to comment.

more...

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/ross_holbrooke_haass_to_serve.php

[Thrill]

1. I like Haass. Good to see he is doing the middle east

[babylonsister]

2. I like Holbrooke, but could learn to like them all. nt

[Cha]

3. I don't know anything about

any of them but remember Holbrook's name from previous service in the government.

But, they must have something going for them.

[Muttocracy]

5. If Biden had won the presidency, I suspect Holbrooke would have been his Sec of State. nt

[Cha]

7. Then he must be very

good..thank you~

[Muttocracy]

4. related info on State Dept. staff:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8068491

[AtomicKitten]

6. Hillary Mann Leverett calls Dennis Ross, Clinton adviser, "more neocon than Bush."

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/fmr-nsc-official-clinton-advisors-more-neocon-than-bush/3721256980/?icid=VIDURVNWS09

She is the National Security Council Persian Gulf Director. She mentions Ross as one of three Clinton advisers that are cause for concern (on video - at the end) for cheering on the invasion of Iraq, etc.

[EFerrari]

8. Ross is a PNAC signer and was executive director of AIPAC?

We could learn to like him? Is this Opposite Day?

:)

[AtomicKitten]

9. yikes!

:hi:

[Sebastian Doyle]

10. Holbrooke is a PNAC signator too

What the FUCK is going on here? :grr:

[EFerrari]

11. Yes, Holbrooke is a piece of work.

:shrug:

[glitch]

14. The Mediocrity of "Change"

"Change" in name only -- I am afraid true CHANGE will not be allowed.

Heartbreaking.

[mmonk]

15. For me, very much so.

Opposite day I mean.

[EFerrari]

12. I'm sorry if I stalled your thread, babylonsister. Here's a kick

for more eyes and better info than I have.

:kick:

[flpoljunkie]

13. Interesting. Obama did express concern about the Palestinian and Israeli casualties the next day.

Thanks for the video link, babylonsister.

[LibertyLover]

16. Well, there Obama goes again -

appointing qualified and competant people to important positions within his administration. Thank Goddess!

[Sebastian Doyle]

17. Yes, the last 8 years have certainly shown how "qualified" and "competent" the neocons are.

Did you forget a :sarcasm: ?

[mmonk]

18. Nothing like having someone who is warm to the ideas of a war of choice

to meet the qualifications for foreign policy.

[mmonk]

19. An interesting article on Dennis Ross.

He is less well known to many of us (at least me) than CFR's Holbrooke and Haass (I subscribe to Foreign Affairs).

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1823145,00.html