HEALTH, HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERVENTIONS

Question 1

What group regularly takes part in indirect military intervention?

Answer 1

NATO

Question 2

Why does NATO intervene?

Answer 2

In order to back suffering countries. They keep peace in areas of conflict and protect civilians.

Question 3

When did NATO intervene in Libya?

Answer 3

2011

Question 4

Why did NATO intervene in Libya?

Answer 4

The overthrow of President Gaddafi. This is because they were found to violate many human rights of many Libyan civilians in the course of maintaining their political grip on the country.

Question 5

How did NATO intervene in Libya?

Answer 5

They led an intervention in the form of an arms embargo and the imposition of a ‘no-fly zone’ over the whole of Libya (inability to conduct airstrikes).

Question 6

Why did the UK and the US invade Iraq in 2003?

Answer 6

To encourage the downfall of Saddam Hussein. It was justified at the time on the basis of removing Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction.

Question 7

What was never found in Iraq?

Answer 7

The WMDs

Question 8

What did the US fund in Iraq and what was the impact?

Answer 8

A US funded vaccination programme reduced infant mortality by 75%. This improved Iraq’s short term development.

Question 9

What long term impacts were there in Iraq following military intervention?

Answer 9

• Political instability has allowed Islamist militant groups to take advantage and encourage corruption, in the form of fighting for land as well as killing/oppressing many Iraqi civilians.
• Human rights in Iraq remain insecure

Question 10

Why did Russia invade Ukraine?

Answer 10

• The protection of the human rights of an enclave of ethnic Russians was the excuse used by Russia when it invaded Ukraine in 2014
• The real motive in 2022 was to annex a strategically important territory (threatened by Ukraine becoming a member of NATO, to which NATO would gain access to one of Russia’s most important front doors)
• Ukraine has been able to defend itself against Russian onslaughts with the help of Western military aid (e.g., Battle tanks from the UK, Britain and Germany)

Question 11

When did the UK and Saudi Arabia conclude a military agreement whereby the UK would equip Saudi Arabia with fighter planes?

Answer 11

2005

Question 12

How much defence equipment has the UK sold Saudi Arabia since 2005? (£)

Answer 12

£10bn, Saudi Arabia has since invested over £60bn in the UK in the form of joint ventures and real estate

Question 13

Why have relations between the UK and Saudi Arabia become strained?

Answer 13

• It has been rumoured that Saudi prices received tens of millions of pounds in so-called commissions as a result of awarding arms contracts to British firms
• Saudis are mainly Sunni Muslims: supplying arms is seen as taking sides
• Saudi Arabia has a bad record in terms of human rights violations (free speech, women’s rights and capital punishment).

Question 14

What is happening in Guantanamo Bay?

Answer 14

The USA still uses torture and acts of cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment by their questioning of key terrorist suspects

Question 15

Why are they torturing inmates in Guantanamo Bay?

Answer 15

These techniques have been used in the wake of 9/11. The imprisonment of suspects without trial at the US base at Guantanamo Bay was one outcome of this.

Question 16

What case study can you use to evaluate development aid?

Answer 16

The Ebola outbreak in Western Africa.

Question 17

When was the ebola epidemic first reported?

Answer 17

March 2014

Question 18

How many people died in the first 18 months of the ebola outbreak?

Answer 18

Nearly 12,000 in 6 countries

Question 19

What was set up 6 months after the first confirmed ebola case in West Africa?

Answer 19

The UN Mission for Ebola emergency response. this lead and coordinated the international responses of NGOs such as MSF

Question 20

Why did the decline in new Ebola cases stall?

Answer 20

Multiple factors e.g., fear of reporting to the authorities that a family member had died, fatigue from following stringent conditions, denial by a hardcore of the population who were strongly resistant to the idea that they needed to change their behaviour.

Question 21

What case study can you use to illustrate the success of non-military intervention

Answer 21

Timor-Leste

Question 22

Where is East Timor located?

Answer 22

SE Asia (bordering Indonesia)

Question 23

When did East Timor declare independence and from whom?

Answer 23

from Portugal in 1975. However, after 9 days - it was invaded by Indonesia (to which the UN called for withdrawal)

Question 24

By 2009, how many people had died from disease, violence and famine in East Timor

Answer 24

Over 200,000

Question 25

What happened in 1982 in East Timor?

Answer 25

The UN started diplomatic efforts with the Indonesian and Portuguese governments to resolve the conflict.

Question 26

What happened in 1999 in East Timor?

Answer 26

It organised a vote on independence. 78.5% of voters were in favour.

Question 27

What did the US and the UK do to Indonesia following East Timor?

Answer 27

They began arms embargoes against Indonesia. The UN also intensified diplomatic efforts and pressurised Indonesia into maintaining security and distributing humanitarian aid.

Question 28

What was left following the Indonesian departure in East Timor?

Answer 28

A lack of skilled people to run the country. The UN took control, and set up structures to maintain law and order.

Question 29

When did East Timor become fully independent?

Answer 29

2002

Question 30

Evaluate the UN’s intervention in East Timor?

Answer 30

Human rights remain a concern (the legal system deprives citizens of a fair trial, and the police are frequently accused of excessive force).