How to build a State in a non State environment?

[Dayuhan]

The remaining alternative is to use the existing structures - these tribal and religious leaders, to positively influence the people to your cause. More difficult when your cause undermines their traditional leadership rolls and the foundations of their society.

To do that we need a clear idea of what we seek to accomplish, and why exactly we need to build a state in a non-state environment to accomplish it... assuming on scant evidence that we actually do. Given the omnipresence of mission creep, it is at times not at all clear what the "cause" is, or how it justifies the expense and other downsides of extended intervention.