Exam 2 Flashcards
infantry
foot soldiers who use assault rifles and other light weapons
counterinsurgency
an effort to combat guerrilla armies, often including programs to win the rural populations so that they stop sheltering guerrillas
landmines
concealed explosive devices often left behind by irregular armies that kill civilians after wars end
power projection
the ability to use military force in areas far from a country’s region or sphere of influence
electronic warfare
use of the electromagnetic spectrum (radar, infrared) in war
stealth technology
the use of special radar-absorbent materials and unusual shapes to scatter enemy radar
state-sponsored terrorism
the use of terrorist groups by states to achieve political aims
Weapons of mass destruction
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, all distinguished from conventional weapons by their enormous potential lethality and their relative lack of discrimination in whom they kill
fissionable material
the elements uranium-235 and plutonium, whose atoms split apart and release energy via a chain reaction when an atomic bomb explodes
ballistic missiles
the major strategic delivery vehicle for nuclear weapons; it carries a warhead along a trajectory and lets it drop on the target
intercontinental ballistic missiles
the longest range ballistic missiles, can travel 5,000 miles
cruise missile
a small winged missile that can navigate across thousands of miles of previously mapped terrain to reach a particular target, it can carry a nuclear or conventional warhead
missile technology control regime
a set of agreements through which industrialized states try to limit the flow of missile-relevant technology to third world states
chemical weapons convention
1992 agreement that bans the production and possession of chemical weapons and includes strict sanctions against violators and non-participants
biological weapons convention
a 1972 agreement that prohibits the development, production, and possession of biological weapons but makes no provision for inspections
proliferation
the spread of weapons of mass destruction into the hands of more actors
NPT
1968 treaty that created a framework for controlling the spread of nuclear materials and expertise; created international atomic energy agency (UN) that is charged with inspecting the nuclear power industry in NPT member states to prevent secret military diversion s of nuclear powers
mutually assured destruction
the possession of second-strike nuclear capabilities, which ensures that neither of two adversaries could prevent the other from destroying it in an all-out war
strategic defense initiative
(SDI or Star Wars) a US effort to develop defenses that could shoot down incoming ballistic missiles
Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty
1972 treaty that prohibited the US and USSR from using a ballistic missile defense shield, which would have undermined mutually assured destruction and deterrence
comprehensive test ban treaty
CTBT: a 1996 treaty that bans all nuclear weapons testing
civil-military relations
the relations between a state’s civilian leaders and military leaders; usually military takes orders from civilian leaders but in poor countries can be military governments
military governments
states in which military forces control the government; they are the most common in third world countries where the military may be the only large modern institution
international norms
the expectations held by participants about normal relations among states (expected behaviors)
international organizations
IGOs and NGOs
UN charter
the founding document of the UN; it is based on the principles that states are equal, have sovereignty over their own affairs, enjoy independence and territorial integrity, and must fulfill international obligations
UN general assembly
a body composed of reps from all states that allocate UN funds, passes non-binding resolutions, and coordinates third world development programs and various autonomous agencies
UN security council
a body of 5 great powers (who can veto) and ten rotating member states that make decision about international peace and security, including dispatch of UN peacekeepers
UN secretariat
the UN executive branch, led by secretary general
peacebuilding
the use of military peacekeepers, civilian administrators, police trainers, and similar efforts to sustain peace agreements and build stable, democratic governments in societies recovering from civil wars
UN conference on trade and development
(UNCTAD) a structure established in 1964 to promote third world development through various trade proposals
World Health Organization
An organization in Geneva that provides technical assistance to improve health conditions in the third world and conducts major immunization campaigns
World Court or international court of justice
judicial arm of the UN; only hears cases between states
immigration law
national laws that establish the conditions under which foreigners may travel and visit within a state’s territory, work within the state, and sometimes become citizens of the state
diplomatic recognition
the process by which the status of embassies and an ambassador as an official state representative are explicitly defined
diplomatic immunity
a privilege under which diplomats activities fall outside the jurisdiction of the host country’s national courts
just war
a category in international law and political theory that defines when wars can be justly started and how they can be justly fought
human rights
the rights of all people to be free from abuses such as torture or imprisonment for their political beliefs and to enjoy certain minimum economic and social protections