Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and incoming Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, released the following statement in response to President Obama’s selection of former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke as Special U.S. Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan:
“Richard Holbrooke has been a fixture of American diplomacy for decades thanks to his effectiveness as a tenacious but fair negotiator. As President Obama fulfills his campaign promise of shifting America’s attention back to the fight against al-Qaeda and other terrorists who have sought refuge in Afghanistan and festered unrest around the world, I can think of no better personality to help lead this effort. I welcome Ambassador Holbrooke’s appointment and look forward to working with him as America seeks to protect our citizens and the people of the world against those who would do us harm.”