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James Dobbins

1942 – 2023

American diplomat

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About James Dobbins

Lived 1942 – 2023 (aged 81). James Dobbins was an American diplomat and author.

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), assistant secretary of state for European affairs, and special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (May 2013–July 2014). He was a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy. Additionally, Dobbins served as envoy to Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti, and Somalia. In 2001, he led negotiations leading to the Bonn Agreement, and served as acting ambassador of the United States to Afghanistan during the transitional period. He was later head of international and security policy for the RAND Corporation.

Education Dobbins graduated with a BS in international affairs from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

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

Works "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

Occupying Iraq: A History of the Coalition Provisional Authority The RAND Corporation. By James Dobbins, Seth G. Jones, Benjamin Runkle, Siddharth Mohandas, 2009. Extending Russia: Competing from Advantageous Ground The RAND Corporation. By James Dobbins, Raphael S. Cohen, Nathan Chandler, Bryan Frederick, Edward Geist, Paul DeLuca, Forrest E. Morgan, Howard J. Shatz, Brent Williams, 2019.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Georgetown University
Positions held
United States Ambassador to the European Union, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, United States Ambassador to Afghanistan
Awards
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Superior Honor Award; Department of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service
Also known as
James F. Dobbins, James Francis Dobbins Jr., James Francis Dobbins

People in James Dobbins's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped James Dobbins's

Frequently asked questions

Who was James Dobbins?

American diplomat (1942-2023)

When was James Dobbins born?

James Dobbins was born on 31 May 1942 in New York City.

When did James Dobbins die?

James Dobbins died on 3 July 2023 in Washington, D.C..

What was James Dobbins's occupation?

James Dobbins was a diplomat and author.

What nationality was James Dobbins?

James Dobbins was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: James Dobbins

· Wikidata: Q6132675

· DBpedia: James Dobbins (diplomat)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Dobbins. https://biography.guide/james-dobbins/

MLA: "James Dobbins." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-dobbins/.

Chicago: "James Dobbins." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-dobbins/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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