At the age of 29, out of all the men and women in the U.S. military, he was selected for a task of almost unfathomable importance.

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"I've talked to all three of them and they understand the lesson and the importance of the task ahead, " Stambouli added.

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He explained the importance of the Barroso Task Force, established by the President of the European commission Jose Manuel Barroso, "to enhance our engagement in Europe, reinforcing our newly-established political institutions".

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Specifically, Executive Order 13554 recognized the importance of carefully coordinating the work of the Task Force with the Trustee Council, whose members have statutory responsibility to assess natural resources damages from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, to restore trust resources, and seek compensation for lost use of those trust resources.

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The statement also recognised the importance of culture and identity and emphasised that their task was to find political solutions and to ensure peace and stability.

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But in areas of profound importance and complexity, such as European diplomacy, it can be inadequate to the task.

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