War and Conflict Flashcards
How did nuclear wars change the face of war?
No longer need armies
Create wars against the entire population
How many new wars emerge per year?
2.22
How many deaths since the 1900 caused by wars and conflicts? What is crucial but not included in those stats?
111 Million
Damage that is not death. Loss, property damage, sexual violence
How many decades between the wars in which the US participate?
less than 2
American National defence strategy is very ______ (paradigm)
Realist
What was the American National Defence strategy in 2018? What is interesting about this?
Blocking China and Russia from challenging us & our allies
Keep our rivals from throwing off the international system.
World depends on the US military. We expect them to save us.
Which are the 3 countries that have the largest sum of money spent on military per capita?
US, Norway, Australia
Which are the 3 countries that have the largest sum of money spent on military per capita?
US, Norway, Australia
The US increases their military spending every year since…
the cold war
What is the name of Canada’s military defence policy?
Strong, secured, engaged
What is a symmetric state war?
Inter-state. Includes 2 or more states
What is a Total symmetric state war versus a limited symmetric state war?
Total means every resource is engaged in war. Total in character, there is no school, the war effort starts. Often brings social change.
Limited means only certain areas, targets, sectors, and weapons are used.
What are the 2 criteria that dictate the types of wars?
Political status (state versus non-state) Where the war takes place.
What is an Asymmetric war? Why is it called that?
Between a state and at least one non-state.
Symetric cause two armies, asymetric cause state is bigger than non-state.
What is an intra-state asymmetric conflict?
Within state borders. One non state versus a state. Also called a civil war. People versus state/military. They can become internationalized (which would make them intra-state).
Example of Intra-state violent conflict.
Syria
Bosnia/Herzogovina versus serbs
What is an extra-state asymmetric war? Example
Extra state or extra-systemic violence conflict happens outside the state borders. It takes place between a state and non-state.
For example, the war against ISIS. War against taliban
What is a sub-state asymmetric conflict?
The conflict between non-state actors independent of existing borders. Often anti-government movements, militarized rebels, smaller scale.
Often a nationalist, terrorist, extremist group. Fight against values, ideas- war on terror.
What are other forms of conflict?
Coercive diplomacy called _____ ______ ______.
Give examples
Mobilization of force Economic sanctions rising military alert level warning shoes flexing publicised military exercise small scale weaponized confrontation.
What trends are we seeing in international conflict:
- civil conflict with foreign state intervention
- civil conflicts
- Intra-state
- colonial imperial conflicts
More conflicts than ever before
Lots of civil conflict
little intra state
Almost none imperial conflicts
Old face versus new face of war: Whose fighting? Distinction (civilians, combattant) victims ways of controlling territory front lines financing
Before: Inter-state Now: Lots of non-states
Before: civilians not targeted Now: hard to make dinstinction between combattants, criminals, civiilians
Before: control throught military power Now: Control with controling population (rape, displacement)
Before: clear front lines NOw: patchworks of different groups
Before: Long-term economic plans Now: Hostages, illegal trade, etc.
Global Peace Index:
Increase or decrease?
Least peaceful countries? US?
Trend in GDP and growing GPI?
Decrease for 13 year in a row
Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Iraq
US is 122 in most peaceful
GDP increase, GPI increase
What is pacifism? Gandy’s point of view?
Non-violence
No moral way of doing war. If there is an intent to kill or do bodily harm = immoral
He even says soldiers are murderers.
Which country has no army?
Costa Rica
Jus ad Bellum (Justice __ war).
six crietria:
Exceptions
Justice of war
1- Just cause (clear threat)
2- Right intention (establish just peace).
3- Last resort (exhausted every other way)
4- competent authority (Only states can wage wars)
5- Probability of success (if no chance of winning, unecessary loss)
5- Limited objectives (targets are limited).
Self-defence
UN forces a country to enter war (like they forced Nato into Syria).
Who is bound by International humanitarian Law?
States who signed the geneva convention and ratifie the court
Must incorporate laws into their code.
international humanitarian law applies to which conflicts?
Inter states and non-international armed conflicts.
For everyone
What are some indirect casualities faced by civilians?
Indirect famine, dicease, or lawlessness in the country sexual violence in war Forced displacement outisde of war zones children soldiers economic and social casualties
_____ refugees are children
2/3 are from ___, ____, _____, ____, _____.
Where are most refugees hosted?
1/2
Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar, Somalia
Other poor countries next to theirs
How many people are displaced? How many internally displaced?
71M
half of those
Unless there are treaties that say otherwise, only ______ can be prosecuted by the Criminal Code of Canada. International humanitarian Law…
canadian citizens
universal jurisdiction
International crimes can be prosecuted where?
Either national courts or by the ICC
What are international crimes? Where are they found?
No book with all the crimes.
ICC is customary law, made through precedence.
270 international treaties. States have to bring their criminals or Un mandates states to.
What are the 6 main causes of war
Ideas: ethnic, religious, ideological
Interests: teritorial, govt, economic
Ethnic cause of war is often _____. Meaning that it is tied to the pursuit of statehood or _____ inside a state.
Often linked to p_______.
Examples?
Territorial
uniformity
patriotism
Rwanda and Yugoslavia
What is ethnocentrism?
What is dehumanization?
How are these two concepts and education connected to the ethnic cause of war?
Us vs. Them. Centered around my ethnicity
Attacks dignity of another group.
Cultural assimilation, and wipe out cultural groups.
Those are all causes and means to do ethnic war.
Why does ethnic war often have longstanding historical roots?
Colonialism
Some people have a lack of home, so they want to redraw borders, and stuff.
What are the 5 parts of genocide? (five acts for tactical extermination of a group).
- Killing
- Bodily/mental serious harm
- Hurt conditions of life to a point which causes severe physical destruction
- Prevent birth
- Forcibly transferring children
When was the first conviction for genocide? Why did it take so long?
1998
Need intent + proven beyond reasonable doubt
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