After service as a Royal Marine and as an Intelligence Officer for the UK Security Services, Paddy Ashdown became a Member of Parliament for Yeovil from 1983 until 2001, and leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 until August 1999. Later on he became the international High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2006 following his vigorous lobbying for military action against Yugoslavia in the 1990s. A gifted polyglot, Ashdown is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and other languages. In the New Years Honors of 2006, he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG) and was also made Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000. Ashdown continues to be prevalent in UK and international politics today.