A critical analysis of American post-conflict reconstruction efforts in southern Iraq

This work is based on research conducted in Iraq during the period August 2006 through July 2007. The purpose of the research is to critically evaluate the effectiveness of American reconstruction efforts in southern Iraq. The 2003 American and Coalition intervention in Iraq has engendered a host of political, military and economic problems that demonstrate the necessity for expertise in post conflict reconstruction. Unfortunately, the United States has experienced great difficulty and little success in the reconstruction of Iraq. The field research specifically seeks to determine if relationships exist between the independent variables of project type, cost, duration and location with the dependent variable of project success. The field research was collected by the author in Iraq and includes a survey of 176 projects. In order to further explain these correlations three sets of case studies are also explored using data gathered by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR).