Posted by
Rich from Paso on Thursday, March 08, 2007 4:23:39 PM
With all of the troubles the United States has faced in Iraq from a persistent insurgency to the self-inflicted wounds of an incompetent Coalition Provisional Authority, there needs to be a new paradigm for how the United States should rebuild nations.
Clearly, neither the State Department not the Defense Department can single-handedly manage the reconstruction efforts of Iraq. With this in mind , here is the what right looks like for nation-building:
Any future rebuilding efforts should be lead by the Vice-President as chair of a committee representing the different facets of society. This committee would be composed of the Undersecretaries of State, Defense, Energy, Commerce, Health and Human Services, and the Vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This committee would formulate a unified strategy to synchronize the efforts of those rebuilding a nation. No one person would have veto authority. The Vice-President, as the second most powerful person in the United States, has to be Chairman of the Committee for Reconstruction to bring the onus for success back to the White House. The Vice-chairman of the JCS brings the soldiers' perspective to the table. Involved in the implementation of the policy would be the Inspector General's office to ensure compliance with United States laws and to prevent price gouging and profiteering. With this committee formulating and implementing a unified strategy, we can avoid the pitfalls that have beset our efforts in Iraq since the beginning.