Is Nation Building Dead?
Abstract
This thesis explores the recent nation-building failure experienced by the United States in Afghanistan and compares it to the nation-building success achieved by the UN in Namibia. The comparison shows that nation-building success does not depend only on the actions of foreign actors, but also on the will of the target country and surrounding territories. This thesis shows that an in-depth study of Namibia by UN officials allowed for efficient and effective operations inside the country. These operations were helped along by a desire for change shared by the Namibian people and an agreed-upon and enforced ceasefire between Namibia and South Africa. The operation in Afghanistan lacked all of these key necessities and therefore struggled to unite the people or even understand what it was the people desired. In order to succeed in future nation-building operations, the United States should refrain from attempting nation-building in akinetic environment and only begin once a firm understanding of the environment and the goals have been achieved.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1201799
Entities
People
- Nathaniel C. Webb
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School