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2018-12-23 -Obits-
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British politician, former Marine, and diplomat Lord Paddy Ashdown dies
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 [The South African] Paddy Ashdown, the former leader of Britain’s Liberal Democrats who served as the international high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, died Saturday at the age of 77, his party announced.
A young Paddy Ashdown training with the Special Boat Service (SBS) in 1959
He made an “immeasurable contribution to furthering the cause of liberalism” and will be “desperately missed”, the Lib Dems said in a statement.
Ashdown, a former special forces officer, led the centrist Liberal Democrats in opposition from 1988 until 1999, reviving their fortunes after years in the wilderness. He served as the international high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2006.
He revealed in November that he was being treated for bladder cancer.
“I have the best of people and the best of friends to fight this with, which makes me, as so often in my life, very lucky,” Ashdown said.
Current Lib Dem leader Vince Cable said it was a “hugely sad day” in British politics and paid tribute to Ashdown’s talents beyond the political arena, including as an author, a marine and in the diplomatic service.
Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May said she learned of his death with “great sadness” and praised his service to Britain and the international community.
“He dedicated his life to public service and he will be sorely missed,” she said.
Former Labour prime minister Tony Blair said Ashdown was a “political visionary” who was “motivated by values of compassion, decency and a profound commitment to make the world a better place”.
“He was one of the most talented politicians never to hold high office, but as leader of the Liberal Democrats he nonetheless had a major impact on British political life,” said Blair, who was in power from 1997 to 2007.
“He had courage, personal and political, unafraid to speak his mind yet always open to the views of others.”
Blair’s successor Gordon Brown said Ashdown was “one of the towering political figures of our generation who spoke always as a strong European, a committed internationalist and a dedicated constitutional reformer”. 
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Posted by Besoeker 2018-12-23 12:26||
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Posted by trailing wife 2018-12-23 14:26||
2018-12-23 14:26||
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Posted by Bright Pebbles 2018-12-23 14:57||
2018-12-23 14:57||
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