Foreign Service

A behind-the-scenes look at fifty years of U.S. diplomacy

From Vietnam in the 1960s to Afghanistan this decade, James Dobbins was on the frontlines of American diplomacy. In some of the world's most difficult and troubled arenas, he worked to seek cooperation and mutual security with America's allies and partners.

Here this seasoned diplomat takes the reader behind the scenes at the Vietnam peace talks, the darkest days of the Cold War, the reunification of Germany, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the U.S. military interventions in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Haiti, Kosovo, and Somalia. He provides a thoughtful insider's account of these ventures, examines the causes of both success and failure, and provides unforgettable portraits of many of the chief actors.

Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama turned repeatedly to Dobbins as a diplomatic troubleshooter with the right instincts and experience to help find solutions for seemingly irresolvable problems. Foreign Service vividly captures why they did.