The UN's Role in Nation-Building: From the Congo to Iraq

Front Cover
Rand Corporation, 2001 M03 29 - 318 pages
Reviews UN efforts to transform eight unstable countries into democratic, peaceful, and prosperous partners, and compares those missions with U.S. nation-building operations. The UN provides the most suitable institutional framework for nation-building missions that require fewer than 20,000 men-one with a comparatively low cost structure, a comparatively high success rate, and the greatest degree of international legitimacy.

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About the author (2001)

* James Dobbins (Georgetown School of Foreign Service) is director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at RAND. A veteran diplomat who has held senior White House and State Department positions under four presidents, he most recently served as the Bush administration's special envoy for Afghanistan. He served as U.S. special envoy for Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti, and Somalia. Ambassador Dobbins has held a variety of State Department and White House posts, including Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, Special Assistant to the President for the Western Hemisphere, Special Adviser to the President and Secretary of State for the Balkans, and Ambassador to the European Community.

* Seth G. Jones (PhD, Political Science, University of Chicago) is a senior researcher at RAND. Areas of expertise include the Middle East, Arab-Israeli peace process, and European security.

* Keith Crane (PhD, Economics, Indiana University) is a senior economist at RAND. Areas of expertise include Economics of Transition and Economic Forecasting, Transportation Economics, and Defense Economics.

* Andrew Rathmell (PhD, War Studies, King's College London) is a research leader at RAND Europe. Areas of expertise include terrorism, international terrorism, Middle East terrorism, Middle Eastern politics and security; critical infrastructure protection; cyber-security; homeland security; and intelligence. * * *

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