Unwinnable Wars: Afghanistan and the Future of American Armed Statebuilding

In nine short days, Taliban forces destroyed two decades of American armed statebuilding in Afghanistan. This was no isolated failure. Over the last century, almost every attempt to intervene militarily to prop up or reconstruct an allied state has seen similar dismal outcomes. Why? This book answers that fundamental question. 
By exploring the factors that hindered success in Afghanistan, Adam Wunische identifies forces common to other unsuccessful U.S. armed statebuilding missions, from Vietnam to Syria, Haiti to Iraq. These forces, he argues, inherently favor insurgencies, forfeit sustainability for quick results, and create dependencies and corruption – all of which undermine the goal of building a state that can stand on its own. Not only that, but most of these forces are inescapable and uncontrollable. This means any future attempts at armed statebuilding will likely also be unwinnable, with costs and consequences far outpacing America’s interests and benefits. 
Faced with a future likely dominated by proxy wars, Wunische offers a novel way forward to prevent the U.S. from chasing new wars that it is destined to lose.

History

Wunische, Adam

Asia

Polity

In nine short days, Taliban forces destroyed two decades of American armed statebuilding in Afghanistan. This was no isolated failure. Over the last century, almost every attempt to intervene militarily to prop up or reconstruct an allied state has seen similar dismal outcomes - why? In this new book, Adam Wunische offers answers to this fundamental question. Exploring the factors that worked against success in America's doomed armed statebuilding mission in Afghanistan, he identifies forces common to other unsuccessful U.S. missions, from Vietnam to Colombia, Haiti to Iraq. These forces, he argues, inherently favor insurgencies, forfeit sustainability for quick results, and create dependencies and corruption - all of which undermine the goal of building a state that can stand on its own. Not only that, but most of these forces are pervasive and uncontrollable: meaning any future attempts at armed statebuilding will likely also be unwinnable, with costs and consequences far outpacing interests and benefits. Faced with a future likely dominated by proxy wars, Wunische offers a novel way forward to prevent the U.S. from chasing new wars that it is destined to lose.

Politics & Social Sciences

Politics & Government

Unwinnable Wars

Medford : Polity Press

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