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

Not entirely new Some aspects are different… But the outcomes might not be

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 history Germany/Japan “nationbuilding”  The Cold War US-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 events 1. Demand for international involvement - Cold War’s end (1989/91) - Post 9/11 “idealism”  : 111 conflicts, 104 internal conflicts  : 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,  “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 events 3. 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 : 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 ( ) - 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  : 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 ( )  US-Iraqi relations

III. How we got to the Middle East: Iraq & The Statebuilding Project  US goals Preventive vs. preemptive war Hussein/statebuilding Certain 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 representative Help to create institutions

Emphasis on “new voices” Belquis Ahmadi

…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 economy Need for civil service to help Establish economic priorities Community development Development of state functions: public good

V. Understanding Statebuilding: The Four Central Tasks 4. Reconciliation & Rehabilitation/Justice Strengthening/renewing social networks Empowering 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?

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…

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 US Most 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 Sarajevo No Man’s Land Hotel Rwanda Triumph 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 ( building.html) 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