George Packer, staff writer for The New Yorker, knew Richard Holbrooke not only through his reporting but through many conversations with the diplomatic titan. Packer was supposed to have dinner with Holbrooke this Friday, and joins us now to remember not only Holbrook's impressive career, but his personality and his humor.    

When it comes to national security, were the past 10 years the best of times or the worst of times? George Packer, staff writer for the New Yorker and author of the new book "Interesting Times: Writings from a Turbulent Decade," shares his opinions on how history will record the first decade of the 21st century. It's the first segment in our week-long series looking back at the big issues of the past 10 years.

We talk to BBC defense and Security correspondent Nick Childs about details of a leaked report from the top commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan on troop levels there.

Then we speak to New Yorker correspondent George Packer about his profile of veteran diplomat Richard Holbrooke. Holbrooke cut his teeth in Vietnam and won acclaim for his negotiations in Bosnia. Now, Holbrooke faces what may be the definitive challenge of his career: the war in Afghanistan.