1.   A year ago Bush said he wanted nothing to do with nation building.

2.   Bush scorned the idea of nation building by the United States in such places as Somalia and Haiti.

3.   Bush described the mission as nation building, and added that it cost a couple of billion dollars but democracy was no better off in Haiti.

4.   But historically, it has been easier to get Congress to approve money for big military items than for nation building.

5.   But U.S.-sponsored NGO activity may complement covert nation building.

6.   In fact, the intractable violence of the Middle East has been a challenge for an administration that has long disdained nation building.

7.   Japan should cooperate with the international community to advance nation building, economic development and social stability in conflict areas that give rise to these threats.

8.   Now, Dobbins noted, the United States will be involved in nation building, something that has previously yielded mixed results.

9.   Of course, nation building is far removed from the goals of most NGOs.

10.   Preoccupied with nation building and development, we were late coming to that responsibility.