Thursday, December 16, 2010

Wieseltier on Richard Holbrooke - and on America

Leon Wieseltier has a moving obituary for his friend Richard Holbrooke, America's top-notch diplomat who died suddenly this week.

Wiesetlier's description of Holbrooke evokes what some of us still think of America itself, at least when it strives for its best. So: Rest in peace, Richard Holbrooke; and strive for your best, America.

2 comments:

Silke said...

really OT
and I apologize especially in this context, but since the NIF is a bit of a hobby of mine, I want to point out that Goldberg seems to miss a barn door in the new NIF wording on BDS:

i.e. in the quote they explicitly qualify twice "global" which in my ever suspicious translation means local, regional, whatever may be still considered to be OK and worthy of their funds.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/12/the-new-israel-fund-leaves-the-bds-swamp/68081/

If I were a local BDS-ser I'd rub my hands knowing that my funding is still secure and if I were a global one, all I'd have to do is cleverly take it down a notch.

NIF will not fund global BDS activities against Israel nor support organizations that have global BDS programs.

It baffles me no end what kind of fishy language do-gooders of all colours are allowed to get away with.

anon said...

we lost a Holbrooke but still have a Heinrich von Kissinger.