State Building in Post-Conflict Societies A critical case study of US state building efforts in Iraq

Abstract: The aim of this study is to critically explore the trajectory of US state building in Iraq and its consequences for Iraq’s socio-economic development. The analysis is based upon views of various data of state building in Iraq and the theoretical framework by Peter Evans and Myer, Et al. The results and answer of the research questions suggest that US had an insufficient basic knowledge of the circumstances within Iraq's political and civil society which led to that the needs from Iraq's political and civil society was overlooked. In addition, the result indicates that US state building in Iraq was developed and implemented form westernized standardized model which within its fundamental meaning directly overlook developing countries political traditions and norms; since it is developed from a foreigner's perspective and not the citizens themselves. From this it is argued that a state building serving the needs of the citizens only can be implemented internally and not externally. The study concludes that questions has to be raised if external interveners actually deliver sustainable economic and political change to the post- conflict society they intervene in, or if the interveners only will serve their own self-interest not the interest of the country its operating within.