American Nation-Building: Case Studies from Reconstruction to Afghanistan

Nation-building efforts by the United States and the international community have led to both success and failure, overwhelming support and debilitating controversy. Some are motivated by national security interests; others by humanitarian concerns. They seem to have exploded since the end of the Cold War but in fact have long been used as a foreign policy tool.

What they all have in common is a substantial investment of troops, treasure and time. There is no formula--each operation is uni...