Statebuilding in Afghanistan and Iraq: Altruism, Imperialism, or Colonialism?
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Transcript of Statebuilding in Afghanistan and Iraq: Altruism, Imperialism, or Colonialism?
State building in Afghanistan and Iraq
I. 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 historyGermany/Japan“nationbuilding”
The Cold WarUS-Soviet stalemate
The post-Cold War America leads“military might”
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: 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 events
1. 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 events
2. 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
4. 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 events
5. 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 Project
IV. 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:Iraq
II. 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 goalsPreventive vs.
preemptive warHussein/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 Tasks
2. 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
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 Tasks
3. (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 Tasks
4. 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?
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?
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)