Statebuilding in Afghanistan and Iraq: Altruism, Imperialism, or Colonialism?

Not entirely newSome aspects are different…

But the outcomes might not be

Statebuilding in Afghanistan and Iraq:

Altruism?Imperialism?

Or Colonialism?

State building in Afghanistan and IraqI. What’s old about this?

(current events: primary sources)II. What’s new about “statebuilding”?

(documentaries and feature films)III. How we got to the Middle East?

(documentaries and feature films)IV. Do words matter?

(define and debate)V. Understanding and doing statebuilding

(reconstruction stimulation; role playing)VI. Why bother? Is it worth it?

(progress reports on countries; Youtube)

I. What’s old about this:America’s role Post-WWII history

Germany/Japan“nationbuilding”

The Cold WarUS-Soviet stalemate

The post-Cold War America leads“military might”

America’s role:rebuilding countries… and more

II. What’s new:The state of statebuilding

Since early 1990s, “statebuilding” has become centerpiece of “international efforts” to stabilize violent conflicts

Statebuilding/peacebuilding: stop conflict and transform structures that led to conflict

“International community” involved in numerous war-torn/fragile countries

II. What’s new:The evolution of United Nations The development

and changes in the UN

Agenda for Peace (1992)shift from peacekeeping to peace operations

Foreign Affairs RAND corporation

II. What’s new:UN & Peacekeeping … and more

II. What’s new: The EU and “international actors” EU since 2000:

leading efforts in the Balkans

Other international actors: World Bank, IMF

International nongovernmental organizations and networks

III. How we got to the Middle East:Recent history and events1. Demand for international involvement

- Cold War’s end (1989/91)- Post 9/11 “idealism”

1989-2000: 111 conflicts, 104 internal conflicts

1990-1994: 26 deadly conflicts

Robert Kaplan, “Coming Anarchy” (1994)

III. How we got to the Middle East:Recent history and events2. The real anarchy Former Yugoslavia,

1992-1999 “ethnic” nature Surprising number of

killings No superpower or

institution to respond “Not again”: genocide Fears of internal war

III. How we got to the Middle East:Recent history and events3. The Failed State Phenomenon The rise of “failed states”○ states which cannot or will not safeguard minimal

civil conditions --- Afghanistan 2001? Why might states fail? Why is the US not

considered the “most stable of states”? Foreign Policy index

12 social, economic, political and military indicators

Rank states, compare different areas and to note changes.

Weakest states: Africa, Asia, EE and Latin America

III. How we got to the Middle East:Recent history and events

III. How we got to the Middle East:Recent history and events4. Changes in global institutions and norms

New structure: bipolar to multipolar New ideas/norms about “humanitarian

intervention” New ideas about security, peace and “new

world order” and “human security” The “right to protect” (R2P)

R2P debate: Does the US have the “right” or “need” to protect citizens of other countries?

III. How we got to the Middle East:Recent history and events5. Sept. 11, 2001 After 9/11: foreign policy

shift to “idealism”: missionary role of U.S.

Link made between need for nation building and terrorism, failed states and terrorists, WMD

Post CW period: US involved in (roughly) about one new NB every other year

III. How we got to the Middle East:Afghanistan American involvement linked to 9/11 Afghanistan’s Troubled History (Four

Parts)I. 1933-1978: what was it like? - American-Afghan relations : Cold War - 40 years “constitutional monarchy” - Why famine and so many deaths? - Why the coup? - The challenges of democratizing

states

III. How we got to the Middle East:Afghanistan

II. The 1980s - The Soviet occupation (1979-89) - What was the government like? - US-Pakistan relations - What is “communism”?

III. How we got to the Middle East:Afghanistan & the Statebuilding Project

III. The Taliban rule - Who are the Taliban? - Where are they from? - What do they believe in? - How did they come to

power?

III. How we got to the Middle East:Afghanistan & the Statebuilding ProjectIV. The Events

US goals Bin Laden Statebuilding Certain environment

Partnerships How policies evolve?

Unilateral to multilateral? International to

domestic? Assessing outcomes?

III. How we got to the Middle East:Iraq

Linked to 9/11 or not? Short history of Iraq

(Three Parts)

I. Republic of Iraq (1958)

First Kurdish War (1961)Relations with Britain and

neighbors

III. How we got to the Middle East:IraqII. The Ba’athists in Iraq

1968-2003: 30 years of what? Who were the “Ba’athists”? Civil military relations and the role

of the military in the Middle East The Rise of Saddam Hussein

(1979) The Hussein regime War with Iran (1980-88) US-Iraqi relations

III. How we got to the Middle East:Iraq & The Statebuilding Project US goals

Preventive vs. preemptive war

Hussein/statebuildingCertain environment

Partnerships? How policies evolve?

Very unilateral to multilateral?

International to domestic? Assessing outcomes?

IV. Do words matter: Defining “statebuilding” Statebuilding reconstruction of polities and economies (McMahon & Western) Nationbuilding the use of armed forces in the aftermath of conflict to underpin an enduring transition to democracy (Dobbins) Peacebuilding efforts to transform environment to prevent conflict in future (UN) Empire building acquire land/resources to increase own power Neocolonialism unique position of dependence

IV. Do words matter:Defining and debating statebuilding

Peacebuilding Post-conflict reconstruction and

development Stabilization Neocolonialism

Debate: What should “it” be called and why it matters?

V. Understanding Statebuilding:The Four Central Tasks

1. Security• Prevent violence • Take guns out of

the hands of individuals

• Create “transparency”

• Reintegration strategy: “golden parachutes”

• Law and Order

V. Understanding Statebuilding:The Four Central Tasks2. Political Transition/Institutional Development

Deciding the “rules of the game”Interim administration: temporary

governance, often shared with the international community (UN)

Elections: quickly or wait?Emphasis on being inclusive and

representativeHelp to create institutions

Emphasis on “new voices”Belquis Ahmadi

IS IT “RIGHT” TO PROMOTE

DEMOCRACY?HUMAN RIGHTS?

WOMEN’S RIGHTS?…If so, how should these ideals be promoted ?

CIVIL SOCIETY? Civil society = public space that allows

a variety of actors to mediate (stand between) relations between citizens and state authorities

How to promote/encourage this space?

How to promote a free but also responsible media?

V. Understanding Statebuilding:The Four Central Tasks3. (Economic) Development

Overcome the legacy of war economyNeed for civil service to helpEstablish economic prioritiesCommunity developmentDevelopment of state functions: public

good

V. Understanding Statebuilding:The Four Central Tasks4. Reconciliation &

Rehabilitation/JusticeStrengthening/renewing social networksEmpowering individuals and rebuilding

socially and psychologically

What should the goals be?

Justice?Forgiveness?

Reconciliation?(Even with the Taliban?)

Can we expect that individuals will ever heal and move forward?

Is justice necessary

for reconciliationor moving forward?

STATEBUILDING:Altruism?

Imperialism?Colonialism?

V. Understanding Statebuilding:Reconstructing North Korea When to act? Who should act?

Role playing How should it be done? What should be first? Who is in charge? What are the outcomes sought?

VI: Why bother:When does it work?

How much force is necessary?

Does money make a difference?

What kinds of external involvement matters the most?

VI: Why bother:Force Matters…

VI: Why bother:Force Matters…

The Agents The UN “system” (4) The US NATO EU Non-government Organizations: NGOs Organization for Security and Cooperation

in Europe (OSCE)

Rand: UN better at learning/statebuilding than the USMost important: domestic actors

VI: Why bother:Force Matters…

VI: Why bother:(Just the gas, not the car)

Need “objective” benchmarks for success Calculating the cost: is it worth it? What are the alternatives to helping rebuild

war torn countries? Should the US focus on human security? How should the US be involved? When – if ever – should it lead international

efforts?

VI. Why bother: Invite serviceman/woman to talk Watch a movie:

Welcome to SarajevoNo Man’s LandHotel RwandaTriumph of Evil (great documentary)The Hurt Locker Kandahar

Invite member of the community from one of these countries

Looking for Answers Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy The New York Times, International

Herald Tribune, Organization for Security and

Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) U.S. Department of State European Union UN : UNMIK. Org RAND (

http://www.rand.org/topics/nation-building.html)

Looking for Answers Liberty’s Surest Guardian, Jeremi Suri Resurrecting Empire, Rashid Khalidi The Other War: Winning and Losing in

Afghanistan, Ronald Neumann Three Cups of Tea/Three Cups of

Deceit Losing Iraq, David Phillips Life in the Green Zone Iraqgirl: Diary of a Teenage Girl in Iraq