Nation Building

There are two widely accepted approaches to rehabilitating a building site, restoration or new construction. If the existing structure is in pretty good shape and well suited to its purpose restoration is often the best choice. But sometimes a building is in such poor shape or so ill suited that it would save time and money to demolish the existing building and start from scratch.

Then there's the unprecedented approach the Bush Administration is taking with Iraq. You demolish the existing structure and when you realize you don't have enough raw materials to build from scratch you're forced to begin restoring the demolished building.