A Critical Approach to the Role of the United States and the European Union in the State-Building Process in Afghanistan (2001 – 2021)

The state-building process in Afghanistan has remained incomplete at various intervals. Although rulers have governed the name of the state over the past century, the lack of accountable government has led to persistent political instability in the country. State-building efforts were renewed in 2001 with the direct and indirect support of the United States and the European Union. The primary question is: What role did the United States and European Union play in the state-building process in Afghanistan? The hypothesis is based on the premise that while the European Union and the United States did not differ in the importance and principle of state-building projects, they had different views on the methods and means of achieving their goals. This study employs an analytical-descriptive method using library tools, articles, and quarterly journals for data collection. The findings of this research indicate that the United States and the European Union were aligned on issues such as supporting democracy, revitalizing and strengthening security forces, reconstruction and development, and legal reforms. However, differences in the implementation of goals and perspectives, particularly the political approach as opposed to the military one, unilateralism, and asymmetric performance, prevented the United States and the European Union from establishing a strong government, leaving the state-building project unfinished.