Quotes by Richard Holbrooke

“It is a struggle of great historic consequence. Indonesia is one of the most important countries in the world, the worlds third largest democracy,”

“The controlled chaos is one way to get creativity. The intensity of it, the physical rush, the intimacy created the kind of dialogue that leads to synergy,”

“The U.N. by contrast is sterile, overly concerned with protocol, overly formal, filled with set-piece speeches. This is what the U.N. in theory is supposed to be but cant.”

“We are in a very grim situation, and everybody knows how serious it is. We are not anywhere near a point where everyone can be satisfied on either side.”

“(Its an) extremely serious situation,”

“I know that the Germans are very unhappy about these withdrawals. The Koreans are going to be equally unhappy. How can we withdraw troops from Korea while engaged in a delicate negotiation with the North Koreans? And theres a country that really does have weapons of mass destruction.”

“We would view with the greatest possible concern any such event, ... It would do Indonesia immense, perhaps irreparable damage.”

“The Indonesian military is still paying these people, still encouraging them, ... These are real thugs, and they have to be dealt with.”

“I think this is a ridiculous outcome, ... These people are innocent and they should be freed immediately. They are not spies.”

“If women in the developing world do not have equal rights, they will not have equal health, ... It is as simple as that; the empowerment of women is not a politically-correct cliché, but a living, essential goal for everyone.”

The negotiations were simultaneously cerebral and physical, abstract and personal, something like a combination of chess and mountain climbing.

Know something about something. Dont just present your wonderful self to the world. Constantly amass knowledge and offer it around.

World War I was not inevitable, as many historians say. It could have been avoided, and it was a diplomatically botched negotiation.

A peace deal requires agreements, and you dont make agreements with your friends, you make agreements with your enemies.