[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fb3A1vuroTryB8Btfx1Ugspd4ysn48oHxD2HTmnTVp1U":3,"$fuMNYjQbw2OXonbmr_BdV37BoESTqkJ8mquL6kCyx8RE":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},131315,"James Dobbins","J",11,null,"james-dobbins",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":122},[14,27,38,49,60,72,83,94,105,111],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},1329048,"The main requirement is negotiation within parties -- which won't be too hard -- about who should occupy the most senior positions. But then among parties, about how those positions should be distributed,",4,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[22],{"id":23,"tag":24},4326312,{"id":25,"tag_name":26},25502,"among",{"id":28,"quote_text":29,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":30,"source":31,"quote_tag":32,"commentary":9},1329044,"In their second term, administrations tend to be more multilateral, more pragmatic. It's the pattern of every one, going back to Eisenhower.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[33],{"id":34,"tag":35},4326305,{"id":36,"tag_name":37},17453,"pattern",{"id":39,"quote_text":40,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":41,"source":42,"quote_tag":43,"commentary":9},1329036,"There was a real sense of solidarity among the neighboring states, a desire to see this work and send a signal to all the Afghan factions that they were no longer to receive assistance if they did not adopt this accord.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[44],{"id":45,"tag":46},4326300,{"id":47,"tag_name":48},67976,"adopt",{"id":50,"quote_text":51,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":52,"source":53,"quote_tag":54,"commentary":9},1329029,"The U.S. has never been able to protect the population, and has thus never won its confidence and secured its support.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[55],{"id":56,"tag":57},4326288,{"id":58,"tag_name":59},821,"confidence",{"id":61,"quote_text":62,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":63,"source":64,"quote_tag":65,"commentary":71},1329018,"It was well known by everyone, including the US government, that the system as constructed invited kickbacks,",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[66],{"id":67,"tag":68},4326283,{"id":69,"tag_name":70},4954,"government","**The Backstory**\nThis quote is attributed to James Dobbins, a renowned diplomat and author, likely spoken during his tenure as a Special Envoy to Afghanistan (2008-2014) or in his subsequent writings about the country. The quote highlights the challenges of navigating complex international relations and the inevitability of corruption within bureaucratic systems. Dobbins' experiences in Afghanistan, a country plagued by corruption and instability, would have informed his understanding of the intricate web of interests and incentives that drive decision-making.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a paradoxical truth: even those who design systems with good intentions can inadvertently create conditions for corruption. This is because bureaucratic systems often prioritize stability and efficiency over moral considerations, leading to a culture where kickbacks become an accepted, albeit undesirable, aspect of doing business. By acknowledging this inherent flaw, Dobbins sheds light on the tension between idealistic goals and the pragmatic realities of international diplomacy.\n\n**How to Use This**\nWhen working in complex, high-stakes environments, recognize that the systems you create may have unintended consequences. To mitigate this, prioritize transparency and accountability, and be willing to adapt your approach when faced with the inevitable trade-offs between competing interests. By acknowledging the potential for corruption and taking proactive steps to address it, you can create more resilient and effective systems that balance competing demands.",{"id":73,"quote_text":74,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":75,"source":76,"quote_tag":77,"commentary":9},1329006,"The United States has oscillated between extremes of attention and neglect in Haiti. The basic problem is that our focus has never been continuous.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[78],{"id":79,"tag":80},4326270,{"id":81,"tag_name":82},1796,"attention",{"id":84,"quote_text":85,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":86,"source":87,"quote_tag":88,"commentary":9},1328986,"We think we've made a lot of progress over the last year.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[89],{"id":90,"tag":91},4326246,{"id":92,"tag_name":93},1600,"last",{"id":95,"quote_text":96,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":97,"source":98,"quote_tag":99,"commentary":9},1328969,"Voters are not looking for creative, forward-looking candidates, they are looking for people who they think can protect them. They fall back on the familiar and the powerful. The same thing happened in postwar Bosnia, where the parties that fed the conflict in the first place got most of the vote.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[100],{"id":101,"tag":102},4326234,{"id":103,"tag_name":104},3921,"conflict",{"id":106,"quote_text":107,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":108,"source":109,"quote_tag":110,"commentary":9},1328956,"Most Iraqis remain less secure than they were under Saddam, less secure even than they were in the first year of the American occupation.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":112,"quote_text":113,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":114,"source":115,"quote_tag":116,"commentary":9},1328936,"I anticipate that at least lead elements of it will be here,",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[117],{"id":118,"tag":119},4326203,{"id":120,"tag_name":121},74093,"anticipate",{"currentPage":123,"totalPages":124,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":125},1,2,10]