American Foreign Policy and Postwar Reconstruction: Comparing Japan and Iraq

Before invading Iraq, U.S. President George W. Bush offered the successful Japanese occupation as evidence that the United States had the capacity to deliver democracy to the Iraqi people (p. 1). Jeff Bridoux examines these two cases studies, the successful occupation of Japan and the failed occupation of Iraq, to determine factors that sway the outcomes of postwar reconstruction. He develops his arguments around three fundamental questions: “What analytical framework helps to identify factors explaining a specific outcome of reconstruction projects? What explains the outcome of US-led post-conflict reconstruction projects in Japan and Iraq? Based on these results, what criteria are essential for post-conflict reconstruction to succeed, and what does it tell us about the ability of the United States to mobilise power resources conducive to efficiency in reconstruction projects?” (p. 161). Bridoux's study employs a Gramscian concept of power, particularly the Italian philosopher's ideas regarding coercion and consent. His...