In the decade following the end of the Cold War the United States undertook several nation-building missions around the globe, most of which have failed. We said we'd bring order to Somalia, but we left chaos. We went to Haiti to restore democracy, but left tyranny. We intervened in Kosovo to create a multiethnic democracy, but we may become embroiled in renewed strife and bloodshed. This extremely timely book cuts through the excuses and uncovers the causes of Washington's pattern of failure.