Pulling for Ambassador Richard Holbrooke

"Richard Holbrooke, U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan answers journalists' questions at a press conference at Foreign Ministry in Rome, Italy. The State Department said Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010, that Holbrooke is in critical condition at a Washington hospital after surgery to repair a tear in his aorta was completed Saturday morning on the 69-year-old Holbrooke. His family is with him. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito, File)"

“An aortic aneurysm is a general term for any swelling (dilation or aneurysm) of the aorta, usually representing an underlying weakness in the wall of the aorta at that location. While the stretched vessel may occasionally cause discomfort, a greater concern is the risk of rupture, which causes severe pain; massive internal hemorrhage; and, without prompt treatment, results in a quick death.”

“Richard Holbrooke, special envoy to Afghanistan, Pakistan, in critical condition By Rob Stein

Washington Post Staff Writer 
Saturday, December 11, 2010; 2:01 PM

Richard C. Holbrooke, the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, was in critical condition Saturday at a Washington hospital after undergoing surgery to repair a tear in his aorta, according to the State Department.

Holbrooke, 69, went to George Washington University Hospital on Friday after falling ill while working at the State Department, officials said.

"Ambassador Richard Holbrooke was admitted to George Washington University Hospital yesterday," said State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley. "This morning, doctors completed surgery to repair a tear in his aorta. He is in critical condition and has been joined by his family."

The hospital referred all questions to the State Department, which did not immediately release any additional information.

The aorta is the major artery carrying blood from the heart to other parts of the body. Upon leaving the heart, the aorta moves up through the chest toward the head then bends and moves down through the chest and abdomen.

Holbrooke, 69, was appointed by President Obama as the special envoy in January 2009. Holbrooke is known as a gifted diplomat and a ruthless negotiator with a knack for getting his way. He brokered the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords in Bosnia, an accomplishment that some said deserved a Nobel Peace Prize.”