Biting off more than one can chew
Quote of note:
…nation-building has come to mostly mean the comprehensive occupation of collapsed or defeated states, the remaking of entire societies and sky-high, endless costs. Another approach, however, would feature peacekeeping, economic aid, technical assistance and support for elections that might, in some instances, make costly and frustrating military intervention less likely.
The Shaky State Of Nation-Building
Morton Abramowitz , Heather Hurlburt
No fewer than nine times over the past decade, Western powers have deployed noble rhetoric, soldiers and taxpayer dollars in the service of nation-building. And no fewer than nine times, they have, to one degree or another, failed to build stable, self-sustaining nations.
The litany consists of Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, East Timor, Liberia, Afghanistan and Iraq. The best one could say is that they are works in progress. The worst: Too many of them still can't function on their own and continue to pose threats to their own citizens as well as U.S. national interests. While genuine good -- both humanitarian and security-related -- has come of these efforts, the results have fallen far short of our professed objectives, consumed enormous resources and political capital, and left uncertainty about the U.S. and international commitment.
It is hard to avoid the conclusion that our interest in taking over "problem nations" has far outpaced our ability or willingness to solve those nations' problems.
