>>>Schools, police stations, roads, bridges, community centers, power stations, sewage systems, etc all fall into 'nation building.' They are all 'things'
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>>Well I still say that those are more along the lines of "goodwill gestures" to build trust and confidence in the people and the real objective behind "nation building" is to change the mentality of "the people".
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>>For example, the original "plan" for the Iraq invasion had no "nation building" included and the troops leaving very quickly after victory. It was assumed that the nation was "built" and that the people would be overjoyed with Saddam's demise and take control for themselves. At best there may have been 'plans' to repair destroyed (in the war) structures, but no "nation building".
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>Iraq WAS built until we bombed the hell out of it.

Yup. Remember that the lights were on full time in that view of Baghdad that was shown on TV for a few days as we all waited anxiously to see bombs going off? Now they get part time electricty and it's promoted as "back to pre-war levels of service".
Funny, too, how Iraq was delivering oil consistently over many years, and right up until the war started, yet their oil infrastructure was assessed post-war as antiquated, dilapidated and unable to be used.
Water supply and sewers were also working well pre-war, as I've read, and now they're a mess.