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/ September 2023
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.69.09.21
How to Cite:
Melnyk, Y., Dunayeva, L., Shelest, O., Shulga, M., & Ataieva, O. (2023). The impact of political stability on economic
development after a military invasion: the experience of the countries of the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Amazonia
Investiga, 12(69), 239-248. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.69.09.21
The impact of political stability on economic development after a
military invasion: the experience of the countries of the Middle East
and Southeast Asia
Вплив політичної стабільності на економічний розвиток після військового
вторгнення (досвід країн Близького Сходу та Південно-Східної Азії)
Received: August 5, 2023 Accepted: September 25, 2023
Written by:
Yuliia Melnyk1
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0392-4941
Larisa Dunayeva2
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0978-5417
Olexander Shelest3
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1773-398X
Marina Shulga4
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8929-8111
Olena Ataieva5
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4863-1506
Abstract
Economic development after a military invasion
depends on a number of factors led by the
establishment of peace and political stability.
However, the restoration of stability is a difficult
test for the post-war economy because of a
number of reasons, which include the destruction
of institutions, conflicting interests of the
government and society, violation of legitimacy,
humanitarian crisis, and many others. The aim of
the article is to study the ways of achieving
political stability and its impact on economic
development after the military invasion. The
SWOT analysis and case study methods were
used during the research. Using the example of
Iraq and Vietnam, the appropriateness of using
such advantages as the availability of a resource
base, opportunities to attract international
support, and effective reforms in the economic
1
Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of International Relations and Law, Institute of Humanities,Odesa
Politechnik National University, Odesa, Ukraine.
2
Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor, Dean of Faculty of Psychology and Social Work, Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University,
Odesa, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: AAE-8339-2021
3
Graduate Student, Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University, Odesa, Ukraine.
4
Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor, Professor of the Department of Public Administration, Educational and Scientific Institute
of Public Administration and Civil Service, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID:
AHH-2381-2022
5
Candidate of Economic Sciences, Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor of the Department of Economics and Management of
Enterprises, Educational and Scientific Professional and Pedagogical Institute, Ukrainian Engineering Pedagogical Academy
(Bakhmut), Kharkiv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: JEN-6179-2023
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sphere in the course of post-war recovery was
established. Such limitations as the reduction of
human potential, the destruction of
infrastructure, and the increasing public debt
should be taken into account in the course of
recovery. The solution to the outlined problems
can be effective fight against corruption, the
strengthening of the institutional component,
effective reforms in the economic sphere, as well
as overcoming the environmental consequences
of the war and restoring the physical and mental
state of the population. The role of political
stability in this process is significant. The main
ways to achieve it include a team of patriot
reformers, increasing the transparency of
government actions, conducting inclusive
policies and achieving social equality and
welfare.
Keywords: political stability, post-war recovery,
military invasion, corruption, social equality.
Introduction
The post-war recovery of the country is an
extremely complex process that combines
political, economic, social and other areas of
recovery. Brown et al. (2011) note that the post-
conflict period should not be reduced to one
specific event — it is a process that involves the
achievement of a number of peace milestones:
cessation of hostilities and violence, signing of
political (peace) agreements, integration,
demobilization and disarmament, return of
refugees, restoration of functioning of the state,
reconciliation and social integration, economic
recovery.
Achieving peace milestones is impossible
without achieving political stability, which is a
particularly challenging task for countries that
have just went out of military conflict
(Almukhtar, 2020; Ruwanpura et al., 2020;
Premarathna, 2021). Disputes within the
administrative machine and between different
population groups, which often occur or even
intensify in the post-war (often crisis)
environment, can significantly slow down or
disrupt the recovery process. Political instability
delays the adoption of important reforms,
reduces investment attractiveness, forces
refugees to delay their return to the Motherland,
and may lead to a new conflict in the worst
case (Hisari & Fouseki, 2020; Warr, 2019). In
turn, the stabilization of the political situation
contributes to the minimization of the specified
threats and creates favourable conditions for
development.
The history of the countries of the Middle East
and Southeast Asia includes many armed
conflicts related to ethnic, religious, political,
territorial, economic, and other factors (Mehrl &
Thurner, 2021; Gleick, 2019; Khalid et al.,
2020). This is evidenced by the civil war in Syria,
which has been going on since 2011 — currently
the conflict is almost frozen, and the country has
suffered a major humanitarian crisis (Hale, 2019;
Walther & Pedersen, 2020; Lantis, 2021).
Another example is the 2006 Lebanon War (the
conflict is still ongoing), which caused a
protracted economic crisis (Mounir Moghnieh,
2021; Farran, 2021), as well as the Arab-Israeli
conflict, which lasted for nearly a century
(Feinstein, 2018; Amal, 2020).
In the author’s opinion, Iraq and Vietnam are the
most relevant examples for studying the impact
of political stability on economic recovery after a
military invasion (Butt, 2019; Payne, 2020).
Hassan and Ibrahim (2022) note that some
economic reforms show effects in the short term,
continuing in the medium and long term. The
effect of other reforms can be tangible in the
medium and long term only. A relatively long
time has passed since the end of the conflicts in
Iraq and Vietnam, which makes it possible to
assess the success or failure of state measures for
post-war economic recovery in the medium and
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long term and to note the role of political stability
in this process. Brown et al. (2011) note that the
key aspects of economic recovery are the state of
economic development, the availability of
natural resources, and the existence of significant
horizontal inequality. Regarding these aspects,
there were mistakes, ineffective decisions and
steps in the process of post-war reconstruction of
Iraq and Vietnam, which can serve as a positive
experience for other countries in the process of
post-war reconstruction.
First of all, it is worth taking into account the
negative experience because mistakes in the
course of restoring peace can lead to serious
economic, social, political consequences or even
to the renewal of the conflict. As the experience
of Iraq and Vietnam shows, the most significant
threats to the restoration of peace are: corruption,
weak institutions, misuse of funding,
ineffectiveness of reforms, insufficient care for
the consequences for human health and ecology.
With this in mind, important lessons that can be
learned in the course of studying the post-war
reconstruction of Iraq and Vietnam are: the need
for effective use of donor funds and taking into
account the possibilities of their return; carrying
out reforms on time and with proper
prioritization; strengthening the role of the
private sector; balanced social and environmental
policy.
The aim of the article is to study the ways of
achieving political stability and its impact on
economic development after the military
invasion. The aim was achieved through the
fulfilment of the following research objectives:
- Assess the post-war state of the studied
economies by conducting a SWOT analysis
and identifying strengths and weaknesses,
threats and opportunities;
- Identify measures and decisions that can
provide positive and negative lessons for
post-war economic recovery using the
example of Iraq and Vietnam;
- Determine the role of political stability in
post-war economic recovery using the
examples of Iraq and Vietnam;
- Identify the ways to achieve political
stability after the war.
The leading methods used in the research are
SWOT analysis and case studies. A SWOT
analysis allows to discuss the main aspects of
post-war recovery in terms of existing strengths,
opportunities, weaknesses and threats. A case
study is used for an in-depth study of a specific
example in order to identify positive and negative
experiences.
Literature Review
The periodic escalation of existing conflicts and
the emergence of new conflicts in the world
cause researchers' unquenchable interest in the
issues of post-war recovery. Brown et al. (2011)
suggest that developing a typology of scenarios
that can unfold in post-war economies is more
effective than searching for a universal approach.
Yasiry (2020) discusses the purpose of the US
invasion of Iraq and also analyses the results of
the post-war reconstruction of Iraq on the part of
the US. The researcher does not justify the
military invasion, noting that the war cannot be
considered as a humanitarian intervention.
Hassan and Ibrahim (2022) examine the
economic challenges and policies of recovery
and stability for post-war economies. As an
example, the researchers study the case of Iraq
for 2000-2019. The researchers determine the
motives and factors of the war, its consequences
and problems of the post-conflict phase, and also
touch on the topic of recovery policy.
Al-jawareen (2019) examine another invasion of
Iraq by ISIS in 2014. The researchers analyse the
economic costs associated with this invasion.
The conflict continued until 2017, and the
researchers note its devastating effects,
exacerbated by the fall in international oil prices.
Lafta (2019) examine the economic problems of
Iraq after the 2003 war and the invasion of ISIS.
The researchers note significant advantages of
Iraq compared to other developing countries:
significant agricultural potential, availability of
labour force, large reserves of oil and gas.
However, there are a number of problems that
hinder the country’s development: the
construction of dams by Turkey and Syria, which
has reduced the flow of water, dependence on
neighbouring countries for the transportation of
goods, dependence on oil and gas.
The example of Vietnam enables assessing the
long-term effects of post-war recovery.
Panchenko et al. (2021) analyse the politics of
economic nationalism and patriotism in Vietnam.
The researchers focus on the security component
of the economy and the advantages its adaptation
provides to countries.
Studying the case of Vietnam’s post-war
development, the researchers often refer to the
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experience of implementing “doi moi” (recovery
policy), a course adopted by the Communist
Party of Vietnam in 1986 and still in force with
constant revisions. Ho (2020) describes the
reforms implemented under the renewal policy,
notes the country’s major achievements over the
past 30 years and challenges to the country’s
recovery. Vu-Thanh (2022) notes that post-doi
moi private sector development is a success, but
only a partial one, as further reforms are
hampered by a number of political and economic
obstacles.
Many works emphasize that the Vietnamese
government ignores environmental problems.
Not least, such problems are the result of military
operations, when large areas of mangrove forests
were destroyed by chemicals, affecting flora,
fauna, soil, water and the agricultural sector
during the Vietnam War. In this regard, Hai et al.
(2020) examine the history of mangrove
restoration in Vietnam, noting the major
successes and failures of the process. Studying
the relationship between economic development
and the state of ecology in Vietnam, Vo and Ho
(2021) conclude that foreign direct investment
may lead to further aggravation of environmental
problems in the long term. The literature review
gives grounds to note an understudied aspect of
post-war recovery — the ways of achieving
political stability in the post-war economy.
Methodology
The first step of the study was to determine the
countries being the most indicative examples of
post-war economic recovery in terms of political
stability. The experience of recent conflicts in the
countries of the Middle East and Southeast Asia
was analysed for this purpose. Table 1 provides
a brief overview of recent conflicts in the regions
selected for the research, the study of which, in
the author’s opinion, can be useful for measuring
the impact of political stability on economic
development after a military invasion.
Table 1.
Key information about the studied conflicts
Country
Conflict
Period
Official reasons
Main actors
Main result
Middle East
Iraq
War in Iraq
March 20, 2003 -
December 15, 2011
The official reason
is the weapons of
mass destruction in
Iraq.
The USA and Great
Britain — on one part,
while Iraq and Syrian
volunteers were on the
other during the invasion
phase.
Military and
political victory
of the USA.
The ISIS
offensive
June 4, 2014 -
2017
Political and ethnic
instability in Iraq,
territorial ambitions
of ISIS
The government of Iraq,
Iran and other allies —
on the one part, the
Islamic State — on the
other
Iraq’s victory
Syria
Civil war in
Syria
March 15, 2011 —
to date
Demonstrations that
were part of the
Arab Spring turned
into an uprising and
war. Protesters
demanded the
resignation of the
President and the
end of one-party
Baathist rule.
Syria, Syrian opposition,
Islamic State, Syrian
Kurdistan and external
forces (Russia, Turkey,
USA).
The conflict is
ongoing
Lebanon
Lebanon war
of 2006
July 12, 2006 – to
date (ceasefire since
August 14, 2006)
Hezbollah’s capture
of two Israeli
soldiers and
Hezbollah’s
constant attacks on
Israel.
Hezbollah, Israel,
Lebanon
The conflict is
ongoing
Southeast Asia
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Vietnam
The Vietnam
War
September 26,
1959 - April 30,
1975
The desire of North
Vietnam for
unification under
the communist
regime, geopolitical
and ideological
reasons from
outside parties (in
particular, the USA
and the USSR).
Communist North
Vietnam (supported by
the USSR and the PRC)
and South Vietnam
(supported by the USA,
Australia, South Korea,
etc.).
Military victory
of North
Vietnam, defeat
of the United
States
Source: (compiled by the author)
As Table 1 shows, the conflicts in Syria and
Lebanon are ongoing. These countries are
characterized by a difficult economic situation.
Therefore, Iraq and Vietnam are the most
relevant examples for studying the impact of
political stability on economic recovery after a
military invasion. A long period of time has
passed since the end of the conflicts, which
makes it possible to assess the success or failure
of state measures for post-war economic
recovery and to assess the role of political
stability in this process.
Thus, the selection of countries for analysis was
determined on the basis of several key criteria.
First of all, the presence of conflicts in the
regions of the Middle East and Southeast Asia, in
particular in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Vietnam,
was taken into account. Countries with ongoing
conflicts were excluded because their economies
are isolated or experiencing significant
difficulties. The second criterion was the
availability of information on the recovery of
economies after military conflicts. Countries
where sufficient data could be obtained and their
effectiveness analyzed were included in the
study. The stability of the political environment
during the post-war period was also taken into
account. Countries with political stability were
selected for further analysis in the context of the
relationship between political stability and
economic development.
The state of the post-war economies of Iraq and
Vietnam was analysed by using a SWOT
analysis, which made it possible to determine the
strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and
threats regarding the economic recovery of the
selected countries. The next step was to analyse
the positive and negative lessons that can be
learned about the post-war economic recovery of
the studied countries. The conducted case study
of the examples of Iraq and Vietnam made it
possible to summarize the results of recovery and
determine the role of political stability in it, as
well as to offer recommendations on ways to
achieve it in countries that have undergone
military invasion.
Results
SWOT analysis of post-war economies
Determining the factors that had (continue to
have) an impact on post-war economic recovery,
and the role political stability has played in this
process, should begin with identifying the post-
war state of the studied countries. It is proposed
to apply a SWOT analysis of the post-war
economies of Iraq and Vietnam for this purpose.
This analysis will help to assess the following
aspects:
Strengths – post-war advantages that can be used
by the country during economic recovery;
Weaknesses – aspects and factors that may
hinder effective post-war recovery;
Opportunities – available reserves, promising
solutions, external resources;
Threats — the most dangerous factors that can
threaten to reduce the effectiveness of recovery
or return to a state of conflict (Tables 2-3).
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Table 2.
SWOT analysis of the post-war economy of Iraq
Strengths
Weaknesses
Projected reduction of public debt relative to GDP
in 2023 (up to 42.5%); Significant reserves of oil and gas; International financial support
The total amount of foreign debt at the end of 2003 was
$120 milliard; In 2014, the capture of Iraqi territories by ISIS caused the
forced displacement of about 5 million people, and the
amount of real losses by 2017 reached $107 billion; The ratio of public debt to GDP in 2020 was 71.6%; Dependence on oil revenues; Drought
Opportunities
Threats
2003-2013: Write-off of 80% of debt by the Paris Club ($32
milliard); Creation of a trust fund with the assistance of the
UN, which aggregated more than $1.3 milliard; The USA expanded its guarantees to $60.6 milliard
by 2012; 2014 — to date: Obtaining loans between 2016-2018 from the IMF,
the World Bank, etc. participants in the amount of
$18 milliard; Development of a document jointly with the World
Bank Group, which establishes 5 areas of recovery:
governance, reconciliation, social development,
infrastructure development, economic development; The start of activities of the Iraq Reform, Recovery
and Reconstruction Fund in 2018; Adoption of the White Paper of economic reforms
by the government with the aim of overcoming the
fiscal crisis, solving problems with insufficient
budget financing, solving structural problems of the
economy.
2003-2013: The four funds between which most of the American
money was divided fell didn’t chieve their goals because of
high levels of corruption; Unresolved ethno-sectarian problems; Unsuccessful attempts to diversify the economy in order to
reduce dependence on oil; Lack of significant results from the implementation of the
decentralization reform; Influence of terrorist organizations; 2014 — to date: Delaying the implementation of investment projects for the
private sector and other reforms regarding the restructuring
of the economy; The White Paper does not address climate change; The deepening of corruption problems and the lack of
communication between the parties.
Source: compiled by the author based on (Nabok, 2022)
Table 3.
SWOT analysis of Vietnam’s post-war economy
Strengths
Weaknesses
Large oil reserves; A large number of young people and cheap labour; Effective prioritization helped, first of all, to develop
the agro-industrial complex and ways of selling
products, and later to start developing tourism and
industry;
After the war, most of the big cities were almost
destroyed, there was catastrophic destruction of
infrastructure and human casualties, the number of which
ranged from 3 to 7 million people according to various
sources;
Opportunities
Threats
Approval of “recovery policy” or “doi moi” in 1986,
promoting market reforms, economic integration,
expansion of opportunities for the private sector; Successful application of tools for the creation of
economic, industrial zones, export processing zones; Research successes in the field of post-traumatic
recovery techniques;
Significant damage to ecology after the war — the
destruction of jungles and mangrove forests by chemicals
caused a drop in productivity, damage to flora, fauna,
soil, water and air, and people’s health. Recovery requires
considerable effort and time; Psycho-emotional state (“Vietnam syndrome”) and
physical health of war veterans; Corruption; Ideological disputes;
Source: compiled by the author based on (Dmytrenko, 2022)
The conducted SWOT analysis gives grounds to
draw the following key conclusions:
- both countries suffered catastrophic damage
during the wars, which continues to have an
impact after a long period of peace;
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- various strengths and opportunities can be
used on the way to recovery — from the
availability of resources to the attraction of
international support and the
implementation of effective government
decisions;
- the weaknesses after military invasions are,
first of all, the death and resettlement of
people, which leads to a limited number of
labour force, significant destruction of
infrastructure, losses, and the growth of
public debt;
- the key threats to recovery are corruption,
institutional weakness, misappropriation of
funds, ineffectiveness or the failure to make
necessary reforms, as well as such long-term
consequences as damage to the environment
and human health.
Positive and negative experience of the studied
economies in terms of post-war recovery
The cases of Iraq and Vietnam offer the
following lessons for post-war recovery:
1) The need for international support for a war-
torn country is an important aspect of
recovery. However, the achievement of the
set goals is possible only with the effective
use of donor funds, which involves targeting
the allocated funds, as well as
comprehensive programmes to fight
corruption and strengthening the
institutional component. It is also important
to coordinate donors’ plans for the country’s
recovery with national plans and direct
efforts not only to the implementation of
individual projects, but also to broad support
of priority industries. Besides, it is worth
realistically assessing the country’s ability to
repay loans.
2) Reforms must be carried out on time, and
their effectiveness depends on the correct
arrangement of priorities, which consists in
determining the most important sectors and
directions of reforms.
3) During the crisis, the private sector is one of
the main “saviours” of the economy, and
therefore, it is necessary to strengthen its
role in the plans for the recovery of the
economy. This may involve changes in
legislation, tax policy, various support
programmes, as well as solving ideological
issues.
4) The population plays a leading role in post-
war recovery, so it is worth focusing on
providing people with work, especially the
youth, repatriation of refugees,
compensation for the damage caused by the
war, restoration of mental and physical
condition, providing support to war
veterans, improving the quality of education,
etc.
5) The elimination of the negative
consequences of the war for ecology is not
the least issue.
This direction of recovery requires consolidated
efforts on the part of the damaged country and
other countries of the world, because today the
problem of ecology is a common challenge for all
nations.
The role of political stability and ways of
achieving it
The role of political stability in the country is key
to the successful application of identified lessons
from post-war economic recovery. Restoration of
peace and elimination of internal contradictions
is possible only under the condition of
stabilization of the political situation. At the
same time, political disputes can lead to a split
and renewed conflict.
Peace and political stability are crucial aspects
for attracting foreign investment, developing the
private sector, and returning refugees. Effective
implementation of reforms is impossible without
concerted actions of the government, while
political disputes lead to the prolongation of the
implementation of reforms, postponing their
potential positive results.
Achieving political stability is often a difficult
task, especially in a country that has just emerged
from a military conflict. Achieving political
stability should be the result of joint efforts of the
government and the population. In this regard, it
is worth providing some recommendations that
can play an important role in achieving political
stability:
- after the war, the country should be headed
by a team of patriot reformers, who should
focus on post-war reconstruction with the
support of the population, not on internal
disputes;
- government activities should be as
transparent as possible to ensure public
control over the actions of politicians. the
development of e-government, as well as the
programme for improving the information
literacy of the population, plays a significant
role in increasing the transparency of the
government’s actions;
- it is advisable to conduct an inclusive policy
— it is necessary to create conditions not
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only to ensure freedom of speech, but also to
take into account the views of people from
different population groups in the field of
politics, for example, through the
implementation of specialized programmes
and projects, the creation of public
organizations, unions. One of the directions
of implementation of an inclusive policy
should be the elimination of religious,
ethnic, and ideological contradictions in
society, taking into account the interests of
various population groups, as well as actions
aimed at achieving national unity, identity,
and respect among people;
- political stability depends not least on the
population well-being, ensuring equal rights,
and reducing horizontal inequality.
Therefore, governments should implement a
balanced social policy aimed at ensuring
equal opportunities and prospects to realize
the potential of each person.
Discussion
Brown et al. (2011) focus on economic recovery.
The researchers note that economic
development, the availability of natural
resources, and horizontal inequality affect the
possibility of reviving the conflict and economic
recovery. Regarding Iraq, it was noted that there
is a significant social and economic horizontal
inequality in the country. In the author's article,
this factor is defined as one of the decisive factors
in achieving political stability, which plays a key
role in post-war economic recovery.
Regarding Iraq, it was noted that there is a
significant social and economic horizontal
inequality in the country. The author of this
article defined this factor as one of the decisive
factors in achieving political stability, which
plays a key role in post-war economic recovery.
Hassan and Ibrahim (2022) suggest the following
areas of reform for Iraq: restructuring the
economy, attracting foreign investment,
reforming the financial system, reducing state
intervention, developing exports, fighting
corruption, controlling natural resources,
developing infrastructure in the areas of health
care and education. In the author’s opinion, these
directions should be complemented by the
implementation of a balanced social policy to
ensure the interests of various ethnic groups. This
will contribute to increasing political stability,
which is the basis for the implementation of
further reforms.
Yasiry (2020) examines the results of post-war
reconstruction of Iraq on the part of the US. The
researcher notes that the goals of achieving
political and economic stability have not been
achieved. The US should have taken action to
encourage the Iraqi government to implement an
inclusive, less aggressive policy toward Sunni
Arab, Kurdish, and Shiite Arab regions. Such
conclusions confirm the author’s position
regarding the exceptional place of political
stability in the post-war economic recovery,
because any efforts to overcome economic
problems may come to naught because of the
exacerbation of political disputes in the
government and among the population.
Analysing the key consequences of the ISIS
invasion of Iraq, Al-Jawareen (2019) singles out
the three most critical problems: high
dependence on oil, high level of corruption, post-
war urban reconstruction. However, the study
pays insufficient attention to the internal
contradictions and social inequality, which can
disrupt political stability and inhibit economic
development.
Lafta (2019) note the role of political stability in
solving a number of economic problems and
overcoming the consequences of military
invasions. The solution to the problem of lack of
water in Iraq may be solved by concluding a
number of agreements with Turkey and Syria.
Logistics problems are solved by building
relations with neighbouring countries. This study
cites another dimension of achieving political
stability — international, which is not defined in
the author’s article. The author’s research
focuses on achieving political stability within the
country, while establishing proper
communications with international partners is a
key aspect of ensuring political stability on the
world stage.
Panchenko et al. (2021) consider the case of
Vietnam, noting that the country effectively uses
its natural and human resources, successfully
combining innovation and regional features in
the development of the agricultural sector. Ho
(2020) notes problems in Vietnam’s
development: the level of economic development
is still insufficient and not sustainable;
limitations in solving social and environmental
problems; slow pace of political reforms; lack of
effective solutions to prevent the decline of
political ideology. Examining the development
of the private sector in post-doi moi Vietnam,
Vu-Thanh (2022) notes a number of problems
impeding further reforms. The main problem is
determining the balance between political
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ideology and economic legitimacy. These studies
prove the correctness of the author’s opinion that
political stability is an important factor for
economic recovery. Vietnam’s economy is
developing rapidly, but it would be more
efficient provided the resolution of ideological
contradictions.
Despite the rapid economic development of
Vietnam, the country’s government pays
insufficient attention to environmental aspects.
In light of the emergence of the concept of
sustainable economy and the growing attention
of governments to environmental safety,
environmental problems should be considered in
a complex with economic and political aspects.
Hai et al. (2020) explore the challenge of
restoring mangrove forests in Vietnam that were
severely damaged during the Vietnam War. The
active participation of the community is
important in this process. Vo and Ho (2021)
found a relationship between the economic
development of Vietnam and the deterioration of
the environment in the country. In this article,
environmental problems are considered as one of
the most significant negative consequences of the
war in Vietnam, but their connection with
economic indicators and political aspects is not
investigated. At the same time, identifying the
connection between ecology and political
stability can become an important area of further
research.
Conclusions
The conducted research confirms the key role of
political stability in the restoration of the
economy of countries after a military invasion.
The SWOT analysis carried out in the gives
grounds to conclude that both studied countries
(Iraq and Vietnam) suffered significant damage
during the wars, the consequences of which still
have an impact after a long period of peace. On
the way to economic recovery, countries can use
their strengths and opportunities (availability of
resources, attraction of international support,
effective government decisions). Vulnerable
areas of economies after military invasions are a
limited number of labour force, significant
destruction of infrastructure, losses, and the
growth of public debt. The main threats to
recovery are corruption, institutional weakness,
misappropriation of funds, ineffectiveness or
non-adoption of necessary reforms, damage to
ecology and human health.
The examples of Iraq and Vietnam give grounds
to note the importance of international support
for countries devastated by the war, the
implementation of appropriate economic
reforms, strengthening the role of the private
sector, involving the population in recovery and
caring for their well-being, as well as eliminating
environmental consequences.
The key factor for a successful recovery is
political stability in the country, which is
achieved by approving a team of patriot
reformers at the head of the country, increasing
the transparency of the government’s activities,
conducting an inclusive policy, and improving
the population welfare, balanced social policy.
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