69 million page views

"Nation Building" in the Middle East

Reader comment on item: Reflections on the Invasion of Iraq

Submitted by Ken (United States), Mar 18, 2013 at 17:13

Your post, as always, was enlightening. The last paragraph raises a point of international relations that pertains especially to the Middle East. This region, historically and accurately described as "The Graveyard of Empires" has never been receptive to the idea of "Nation Building" imposed by outside forces. Changes have come about only when there has been total military defeat followed by centuries-long occupation, such as the Ottoman Empire. But once the foreign conquerors have departed, it's back to business as usual – tribal rivalries that would once have meant misery for a few hundred people expand to engulf today's modern nation-states, and the addition of oil money allows these feuds to spill over into the international arena.

It seems to me that the only way to make the changes needed are either near-genocidal levels of violence, complete territorial occupation and imposition of government over centuries, or both. Since Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, for example, were entities created by European powers ignoring the pre-existing tribal regions, is the solution to be found in devolution and creating new nation-states such as an expanded Armenia, Kurdistan, etc.? Do you think it is even possible to create free, prosperous states where Islamism exists? If so, how would you do it?

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Daniel Pipes replies:

"Do you think it is even possible to create free, prosperous states where Islamism exists?"

I do not. And if thought so before 2003, the Iraq experience dispelled that hope.

Submit a comment on this item

Reader comments (20) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Casus Belli? [126 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AlbertMay 15, 2013 21:08206081
Yes, but at what price? [117 words]AnonMay 15, 2013 01:23206067
1The bad and the worse [93 words]Ender WigginskyApr 29, 2013 08:49205724
also lebanon 1982 [36 words]jacob sassoonApr 13, 2013 18:32205144
Is it really nation-building that we are after? [288 words]stuffagainMar 27, 2013 00:21204734
Iraq is about the Big Game [113 words]J. AlejandroMar 26, 2013 16:32204725
1Iraq-Christian Free Zone [90 words]JDMar 26, 2013 00:38204705
The Case for Democracy by Natan Sharansky [27 words]George HaasMar 24, 2013 22:35204684
"fight for democracy" -dangerous delusion [76 words]BenMar 23, 2013 15:07204634
Reflections on the Invasion of Iraq [49 words]BALARABE ABBAMar 20, 2013 11:39204531
Yes, but..... [195 words]Rick MartinsMar 20, 2013 09:20204526
Iranian provocation [37 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
ConormelMar 19, 2013 16:21204491
The absence of a political faction for freedom and Democracy, Emulating Taiwan and Korea. [147 words]SamuelMar 19, 2013 03:59204474
2Iraq-What Did Work [134 words]John R PeacherMar 18, 2013 20:31204464
1Syria moved up the list [80 words]mythMar 18, 2013 19:02204457
1The Folly of Repetition [55 words]EthanPMar 18, 2013 18:05204455
1Post Soviet Saddam [105 words]Jonathan RubinsteinMar 18, 2013 17:41204454
reflections [63 words]infosifterMar 18, 2013 17:26204453
Lessons of Iraq - Trying So Hard Not to Miss the Point - Yet Never Learning It [387 words]M. ToveyMar 18, 2013 17:15204452
1"Nation Building" in the Middle East [206 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
KenMar 18, 2013 17:13204451

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)