James Dobbins

PROFILE

James Dobbins Guest

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RAND Corp

James Dobbins is a senior fellow and Distinguished Chair in Diplomacy and Security at the RAND Corporation. He is the author of The RAND History of Nation Building, America's Role in Nation-Building: From Germany to Iraq, The Beginner’s Guide to Nation-Building and Foreign Service: Five Decades on the Frontlines of American Diplomacy.

A former US diplomat who helped oversee nation-building efforts in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan, Dobbins served as a special envoy for Afghanistan immediately after 9/11.

FROM James Dobbins

To the Point

Is US diplomacy under friendly fire? After six months of the Trump Administration, America's professional diplomats are reportedly "desperate" for a foreign policy — or even for something to do. They complain that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has walled himself off from the diplomatic corps and that he's being walled off from the White House. Ambassadorships and other important jobs are going unfilled, and budget cuts may add to the hollowing out of a veteran staff already depleted by resignations. What's at stake for America's interests — and American values — around the world?

32 MIN, 25 SEC Aug 01, 2017

To the Point

Destroying Mosul in order to save it The Islamic State is mostly gone from the ancient city of Mosul after what some veterans call "the toughest urban warfare since World War II." Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has declared victory, but half his second largest city is in ruins. Thousands are dead; more than 700,000 are refugees. Nobody thinks peace is at hand — while ISIS still holds the Syrian city of Raqqa and fosters violence in other places, too. Will the US and other western countries help rebuild Mosul — while Kurds, Turks and other factions struggle for power?

32 MIN, 53 SEC Jul 13, 2017

Which Way, L.A.?

Afghanistan and the 'Civilian Surge' Laying out his strategy for Afghanistan last March, President Obama called for "agricultural specialists and educators, engineers and lawyers…to develop an economy that isn't dominated by illicit drugs." But last week's speech on increasing troops contained only a single reference to a "civilian surge."

26 MIN, 19 SEC Dec 08, 2009

To the Point

Afghanistan and the 'Civilian Surge' In last week's speech on Afghanistan, President Obama barely mentioned the so-called "civilian surge," an essential part of counterinsurgency doctrine. But Secretaries Gates and Clinton are talking it up , and government employees are being recruited from Agriculture and other departments. Will paving roads and building schools help win the "hearts and minds" of Afghans? Will they help defeat the Taliban? What are the prospects of blowback if big money is wasted in bribes and other forms of corruption?

37 MIN, 3 SEC Dec 08, 2009

To the Point

Diplomacy and Promises of Democracy in the Middle East The Arab summit is reaching out to Israel, led by the regional powerhouse of Saudi Arabia, where King Abdullah has taken up where Egypt left off. Despite Israel's initial rejection five years ago, Prime Minister Olmert has agreed to take another look. In Egypt itself, voters have increased the powers of President Mubarak, but the election's being criticized as a violation of his promise to increase democracy. Pakistan's President Musharraf, a guest at today's Arab summit, is another US ally accused of stifling dissent to strengthen his own position. For three years before September 11, US aid to Pakistan amounted to less than $10 million; since then, it's been more than $10 billion, with only Israel and Egypt getting more. How great is the risk of extremist takeovers in Egypt or Pakistan? Is US aid promoting democracy or propping up repressive regimes? We hear from journalists, military and political analysts, foreign policy experts, and human rights advocates.

5 MIN, 41 SEC Mar 28, 2007

To the Point

More Troops? More Diplomacy? Both? The United States finally sat down with Iran and Syria in Baghdad on Saturday, a departure from past policy that appears to have changed almost nothing. Nevertheless, yesterday an Iranian spokesman called it a "constructive first step" and said it was looking forward to another meeting at the foreign minister level. Meantime, on his trip to South America, President Bush announced a call to Congress for 8200 new troops--4800 to bolster the Baghdad security plan. The Los Angeles Times reports that Pentagon planners have begun "plotting a fall back strategy that includes a gradual withdrawal of forces and renewed emphasis on training Iraqi fighters." Was it the first step in a long process or a dead end? What did other nations from around the region have to contribute? We speak with journalists in the US and Middle East, political scientists, the last senior US diplomat to speak one-on-one with Iranian officials in 2001 and the current senior Iraq advisor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

35 MIN, 53 SEC Mar 12, 2007

To the Point

Bush's New Way Forward in Iraq; Chavez's Venezuela One of the promises of the President Bush's New Way Forward in Iraq is deployment of "provincial reconstruction teams" to work with local leaders. Echoing the President's plan at yesterday's news conference with the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice affirmed that success will depend on the US getting civilians out of the embassy and green zone and into the field to support local leaders and structures. We hear how America's original occupying force walled itself off from the Iraqi people. Is there still time for a change or is the new plan too little too late? Also, today, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he'll nationalize communications, electricity and oil companies and turn his country into a socialist state. Should the US be worried? Has the war on terror diverted the Bush administration from America's interests in Latin America?

42 MIN, 52 SEC Jan 12, 2007

To the Point

The Democrats and Prospects for Change While Democratic victories are creating a host of expectations about the next Congress, especially when it comes to Iraq, President Bush says his replacement for Donald Rumsfeld will bring a "new perspective" on Iraq. Meantime, the old, Republican Congress still has work to do, not least of which is the passage of spending bills to keep the government going. President Bush also wants warrantless wiretaps, an energy bill and nuclear technology for India. We hear about his chances and look at the options for changing the course in Iraq, including "regional diplomacy" with Syria and Iran. We look at the options and what might be expected from the Secretary of Defense-designate, Robert Gates . What about diplomacy with Syria and Iran?

33 MIN, 48 SEC Nov 09, 2006

Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.

51 MIN, 17 SEC May 22, 2017

To the Point

Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.

51 MIN, 18 SEC Jun 08, 2017

To the Point

What happens when America retreats from the world? Is President Trump taking his "America First" agenda to extremes, withdrawing the country from the international stage on trade and climate change, distancing America from its traditional allies across the Atlantic and even threatening to physically isolate the country through the building of a wall along its southern border? León Krauze guest hosts.

51 MIN, 13 SEC Jun 01, 2017

To the Point

The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.

51 MIN, 18 SEC Jun 07, 2017

PROFILE

FROM James Dobbins

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