James Dobbins (diplomat)

James Francis Dobbins Jr. (May 31, 1942 – July 3, 2023) was an American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to the European Union (1991–1993), as Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (2001), and as Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (May 2013 – July 2014). He was a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy. He was envoy to Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti, and Somalia. In 2001, he led negotiations leading to the Bonn Agreement,[1][2] and served as acting Ambassador of the United States to Afghanistan during the transitional period. He was head of international and security policy for the RAND Corporation.[3][4]

James F. Dobbins
3rd United States Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
In office
May 10, 2013 – July 21, 2014
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byMarc Grossman
Succeeded byDan Feldman
United States Ambassador to Afghanistan
Acting
In office
December 17, 2001 – January 1, 2002
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byDiplomatic relations reestablished
Succeeded byRyan Crocker (acting)
Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs
In office
January 2, 2001 – June 1, 2001
PresidentBill Clinton
George W. Bush
Preceded byMarc Grossman
Succeeded byA. Elizabeth Jones
United States Ambassador to the European Union
In office
October 9, 1991 – July 31, 1993
PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Preceded byThomas Michael Tolliver Niles
Succeeded byStuart E. Eizenstat
Personal details
Born(1942-05-31)May 31, 1942
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 3, 2023(2023-07-03) (aged 81)
SpouseToril Kleivdal
Alma materGeorgetown University
ProfessionDiplomat, Career Ambassador

Education edit

Dobbins graduated with a Bachelor of Science in International Affairs from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

Death edit

Dobbins died from complications of Parkinson's disease on July 3, 2023, at the age of 81.[5]

Works edit

  • "Iraq: Winning the Unwinnable Wars", Foreign Affairs, January/February 2005
  • "Who Lost Iraq?", Foreign Affairs, September/October 2007
  • "Counterinsurgency in Iraq", Senate Armed Services Committee, 2-26-09
  • Dobbins, James (March 3, 2009). "To Talk With Iran, Stop Not Talking". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  • Dobbins, James (January 16, 2010). "Skip the Graft". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  • Occupying Iraq: A History of the Coalition Provisional Authority The RAND Corporation. By James Dobbins, Seth G. Jones, Benjamin Runkle, Siddharth Mohandas, 2009.

Bibliography edit

References edit

  1. ^ Bob Woodward (2007). State of Denial: Bush at War. Simon and Schuster. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-7432-7224-7.
  2. ^ Mudd, Harvey (2013). Takedown: Inside the Hunt for Al Qaeda. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 6–8, 11–18. ISBN 978-0-8122-4496-0. OCLC 868017409.
  3. ^ "James Dobbins - Profile". RAND. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  4. ^ "James F. Dobbins, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan". Archived from the original on 12 December 2008.
  5. ^ "James Dobbins, former US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, dies at 81". ATN News. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.

External links edit

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Diplomatic relations reestablished
United States Ambassador to Afghanistan
Acting

December 2001 – January 2002
Succeeded by