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Tomorrow President Obama will offer remarks updating Americans on progress in Afghanistan and the nation’s next steps. Richard Holbrooke, was a key member of the team as Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has conferred the Hilal-e-Pakistan (Crescent of Pakistan), the nation’s highest civilian award on Richard Holbrooke for his service to Pakistan and contributions to US-Pakistan relations. Other American recipients of the Hilal-e-Pakistan are Richard Nixon, Joe Biden, and John Kerry.

For those following America’s increasingly high cost misadventure in Afghanistan, check out Elisabeth Bumiller’s account of the grim intelligence estimates on US progress there.

I’m one who believes that Hamas must be part of the equation of establishing a new equilibrium in the Middle East. Hamas is not al Qaeda and has evolved into a real, citizen-rooted political order and can’t be wished away.

There are two themes that seem to find themselves in much of the emerging commentary on the life and impact of Richard Holbrooke. The first is that he was a “bulldozer” and the second that “well, he had a bad relationship with Karzai so couldn’t do much with him.

(picture credit: Russell Totten; click image for larger version) Perhaps it is Richard Holbrooke’s passing that has drawn me to this image — but wanted to share this beautiful picture sent by a TWN reader in Lake Tahoe.

Jimmy Carter says in the Big Think video above that America is ready for a female President, a black President, and yes — a gay President also (though we may have already had one in James Buchanan). Thanks to President Carter for continuing to open doors that are the right ones to open.

From the transcript: Mr. HOLBROOKE: On every page of the many complicated documents and annexes initialed here today lie challenges to both sides to set aside their enmities, their differences, which are still are raw and open wounds. They must work together.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy According to the Washington Post‘s Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Richard Holbrooke’s last words were “You’ve got to stop this war in Afghanistan.” Above I speak to Rachel Maddow about Richard Holbrooke and why he mattered so significantly.