Reflections on Iraq, 2008

Abstract

De Tray considers the role of outsiders in postconflict reconstruction and development in Iraq in 2008. The coalition in Iraq attempted state building in a couple of years that development experts recognize takes decades and must be undertaken from within a society. The Provincial Reconstruction Teams, focused on using local governance and development projects to build links between people and government, were seen by Iraqis as foreign occupiers. US efforts were hindered since government experts avoided working in Iraq because of harsh living conditions, and contractors with inappropriate backgrounds were hired. The military, eager to deliver visible results, often bypassed the Iraqi government. Working with local governments—districts, towns, and communities—offers the best chance to strengthen people’s ties with their own government.