4: Justifications for Intervention and R2P Flashcards
Ethical Debate:
Justifications for Interventions and R2P (Responsibility to Protect)
`Against 1:
The global community does not have the right to intervene in the domestic affairs of a state.
Against 2:
There is usually an element of self-interest in humanitarian intervention and this leads to selectivity in responses
Against 3:
Humanitarian missions set a dangerous precedent when they expand to focus on regime change rather than simply protecting civillians
For 1:
The international community has a moral responsibility to intervene to protect civilians from genocide
For 2:
A state’s failure to protect their citizens should lose their sovereign rights.
R2P:
2005 - Adopted at the World Summit. “Each individual state has the responsibility to protect its citizens from war crimes … the international community should help states exercise this responsibility.”
Libya:
R2P invoked
Uprising against Gaddafi:
February 2011
Gaddafi:
Protestors would be “hunted down door to door and executed”
Resolution 1973:
March 2011 - Authorised the use of force in suppressing the rebellion
Argument Against Intervening in Libya:
That the humanitarian intervention in Libya morphed into a campaign primarily concerned about regime change rather than focusing purely on protecting civilians.
Critics of R2P:
Humanitarian Intervention is “western liberal imperialism dressed up to cloak its true nature”
Inaction in Syria:
Russia and China have used their veto power four times to block resolutions on the situation in Syria.
Russian Exports in Syria:
Valued around $19.4 billion
