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Former US Ambassador Thomas Pickering Pushes for Greater UN Involvement in
Afghnaistan

   Ira Mellman 20 December 2010

Photo: Dennis Cook

   Former  Undersecretary  of  State  Thomas  Pickering, left, and Former
   United Nations Ambassador Richard Holbrooke (File Photo)

   Last  week's  death  of  Richard  Holbrooke,  the US special envoy for
   Afghanistan and Pakistan left many questioning the immediate future of
   US policy in that region.
   In  the review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, President
   Barack Obama said the United States and its partners are "on track" to
   achieve their goals, although he pointed to just how fragile the gains
   have been.
   One  idea  being  circulated is that there had been discussions in the
   White  house  about  the  possibility  of  giving the United Nations a
   bigger  role  in  the  drive  toward  a  resolution of the Afghan War.
   Reports indicated at the time that Holbrooke was against that idea.
   VOA's  Ira Mellman spoke with Ambassador Thomas Pickering, a former US
   Ambassador  to  the  United  Nations  and now co-chair of a task force
   compiling  a  report  on  what  best  to  do  in Afghanistan. He asked
   Ambassador  Pickering  about  the possibility of a larger role for the
   UN.

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