Retief of the CDT, heh, there used to be a fan of that title/series on BBSes around Grand Rapids, uh, well, 30 years ago. Leftist nitwit, that one. I didn't understand the reference and didn't care (because he wasn't a buddy), until I wanded down into the basement of a used bookstore that used to be in the Eastown area -- all the crap fiction (sci-fi, adventure, romance, westerns) were down there, and a copy was right on top of a stack. "Oh, now I get it." :^)
I recall with great satisfaction Holbrooke being taken to the woodshed and beaten unmercifully over issues of post-war Vietnam and friendship with Thailand. He was thrashed by a master statesman, Phillip Habib. I also recall Holbrooke’s taking credit for the work done in the Balkans by diplomat Robert Frazure. By the time of his death, Holbrooke was hated for good reason. He was a detestable toady.