We have to do away with post-war building precisely why? It worked great with Germany and Japan. What we did wrong with Afghanistan was to try to do it cheap and with an exit strategy. The idea of an exit strategy is the problem. Don’t enter a war where the desired end is an exit strategy. If you are going to take over, take over. Period.
Interesting, rhetorical question: what makes Germany and Japan different from Afghanistan and Iraq?
Both Germany and Japan have done very well. Iraq and Afghanistan not so much. I wonder if it is more than lack of effort? People pushing nation-building have probably looked at this.
Some differences:
1. culture.
2. religion.
3. infrastructure.
4. industry and economy.
5. lack of law enforcement and rule of law.
Germany and Japan were bombed nearly back to the Stone Age before they were rebuilt. This comparison gets tiresome quickly.
Why do we want to take over Afghanistan and babysit them for eternity?
In Germany and Japan the occupation focused on wiping out National Socialism and Shintoism.
In Afghanistan and Iraq, Islam was exalted and strengthened, and put into the new constitutions.