Nation Building: Why not?

Great Debates
1

I’ve heard several times that the US is not in the business of nation building. And I was wondering, Why not? A few questions though:

  1. I know we’ve had a lot of proxy wars in the past where we tried to prop up governments against the Communists, but since the Communists don’t really exist anymore is it valid to use those experiences as a frame of reference? Have the Communists been replaced by Islamic Fundementalists? When I see what’s going on in countries like Somalia, Nigeria, and alot of other countries I can help but see the parallels. And I bet you’d find alot of the same people causing problems, but that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.

  2. What do you think would happen if we (that is the United Nations led by the USA) said to a country that we provide:
    a. Money to build your infrastructures and businesses as you see fit.
    b. Miltary support to ensure domestic tranquility and resist outside aggresion.
    c. Technology help (as far as you want) to help make sure that your people get want they need.

But in exchange we get:
a. You must have a democratic society with universal sufferage at 18 years old (that seems to the going rate)
b. A guarentee of freedom of religion and also freedom from religion.
c. Freedom of speech, press, peacful assembly, etc.
d. Head of gov’t not member of military.

Do you see where I’m going with this.

Look, I’m not saying that every country has to take our Constitution and just replce our name with theirs. That could never work; each country and its people has to find what works best for them. But the Bill of Rights (IMHO) is pretty universal when it comes to how people should be allowed to live their own lives.

IMHO, we’ve been too subtle and forgiving with some of these countries. We allow warlords and despots to kill millions of people, and we stand by.

As far as I’m concerned time to say “Enough!! Straighten up, or we will straighten you up!” Period.

I’m sorry, but this shit’s been going on for too long.

2

Nation-building certainly worked well in Yugoslavia.

You can’t ‘build’ a nation of disparate groups and expect it to stay together in the long-term unless you plan on staying there yourself and enforcing your ‘nation’. Nothing creates martyrs and terrorists more than a foreign power enforcing their worldview, political system or beliefs.

3

  1. We are not the worlds policeman

  2. Its fucking expensive. Do you want your taxes to go up %400 so we can run not only our own country, but Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and God knows where else

  3. People get upset when you invade their country, destroy their culture, and impose your own culture on them.

  4. In order to nation build, you need to dispose the existing rulers. That means more wars for little return.