From The Boston Globe — Originally published Monday, Jan. 26

One is called a special envoy for the Mideast, the other a special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Whatever the titles bestowed on former senator George Mitchell and erstwhile diplomat Richard Holbrooke, their respective appointments send a heartening message that President Obama and his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, are serious about elevating the role of diplomacy in U.S. foreign policy.

Impressive as the past achievements of Mitchell and Holbrooke have been, the knots they are being asked to untie now will not yield to the mere force of their personalities or mediating skills. …

If the choice of Mitchell reflects Obama’s determination to push Israelis and Palestinians into real negotiations without preconditions, to demand fulfillment of promises from both sides, and to bring even violent groups to the table, a promising new U.S. policy may be on the horizon.

… Holbrooke’s mission is based on the sound premise that Afghanistan’s problems cannot be solved without Pakistan’s cooperation; that Pakistan’s stability may not be assured unless its domestic crises are addressed; and that there is no hope of peace in Central Asia without resolving the India-Pakistan quarrel over Kashmir.

Obama must now decide how these aims are to be pursued. …