Book Review: Death, Dominance, and State-Building: The US in Iraq and the Future of American Military Intervention

Authors

• Connor Halliday

Files

Description

Author: Roger D. Petersen

Reviewed by Major Connor Halliday (US Army), instructor of international affairs at the United States Military Academy

Death, Dominance, and State-Building: The US in Iraq and the Future of American Military Intervention, by Roger D. Petersen, analyzes America’s strategy in Iraq over the last 20 years and offers lessons learned for future US military interactions and state-building ventures. Reviewer Connor Halliday notes, “Military practitioners, strategists, and scholars of civil wars and state-building will all find Petersen’s work insightful and thought-provoking. The book’s value lies not just in its analysis of Iraq, but in its broader lessons for future US military interventions.”

Publication Date

9-15-2026

Keywords

Iraq, state building, counterinsurgency, strategy, warfare

Disciplines

Defense and Security Studies

Recommended Citation

Connor Halliday, Book Review: Death, Dominance, and State-Building: The US in Iraq and the Future of American Military Intervention ( US Army War College Press, 2026),
https://press.armywarcollege.edu/parameters_bookshelf/181