4- Foreign Military Interventions

Question 1

foreign military interventions

Answer 1

the use of military force to intervene in another country’s domestic affairs

Question 2

what do realists think the source of interests for FMI are?

Answer 2

the anarchic nature of the inrl system, uncertainty and security dilemma, security competiton, seeking to maximize pwoer to ensure survival.
-> interests are shaped by material capabilities

Question 3

what do constructivists think the source of interest for FMI are?

Answer 3

interests are much more fluid- we see variation in interests btw states.
states shape the content of the structure through the way they act (the intl system isn’t stagnant)
e.g fr ger relations have changed.
-> states interests are not fixed, but rather are socially constructed.

Question 4

what do liberals think the source of interest for FMI are?

Answer 4

states themselves don’t have interests- they’re shaped by civil society & subset of citizens.
-> stats define their interests based on the preferences of individuals and interest groups.

Question 5

what’s a preemptive war?

Answer 5

using military force to stop an imminent attack when there is clear evidence that an adversary is about to launch an attack.

Question 6

what’s a preventative war?

Answer 6

using military force to prevent a potential future threat, often by attacking an adversary before they have developed the capability to launch an attack.

Question 7

what’s the difference between preventative and preemptive?

Answer 7

preventive actions are taken to stop something bad from happening in the future

preemptive actions are taken to stop something bad from happening right now.

Question 8

what were the rationales behind the war in iraq?

Answer 8

Weapons of mass destruction
human rights
democratization
deterrence
oil

Question 9

what were the motives behind the war in iraq? (4)

Answer 9

1. Response to 9/11
2. Regional BoP
3. Revolution in military affairs (bc we can!)
4. Neoconservative theory (because we should!)

Question 10

according to the bargaining theory, when does war happen? (3)

Answer 10

1. states don’t trust each other
2. states aren’t honest about their intentions
3. states are uncertain about the outcomes

Question 11

is this correct? since 1945, we’re seeing a decline in interstate wars, and rise in smaller conflicts within states?

Answer 11

YES

Question 12

is this correct? since 1945, we’ve been seeing more multilateral interventions

Answer 12

YES

Question 13

what do behavioural explanations focus on?

Answer 13

cognitive biases, emotions, personal experiences

Question 14

what’s the dangerous hubris?

Answer 14

the belief that hte US has the ability and responsibilty to promote democracy and human rights abroad.

Question 15

dangerous hubris x iraq

Answer 15

the 2003 invasion was aimed at overthrowing saddam hussain but it caused anti american sentiments

Question 16

what would be a rationalist explanation of the decision to go to war in iraq?

Answer 16

us wanted to control oil reserves
us saw it as a threat to its national security

Question 17

what would be a behavioural explanation of the decision to go to war in iraq?

Answer 17

1) confirmation bias led decision-makers to look only at the info that supported going to war.
2) fear, anger, nationalism,
3) saddam hussain wanted weapons of mass destruction for prestige
4) bush wanted to regain credibility after 9/11

Question 18

what were some information problems related to the war in iraq? (2)

Answer 18

1. US didn’t correclty asses its own cost of fighting
2. Iraq didn’t correctly assess the Bush admin’s military strategy.