War, Peace, & Interventionism (Lec 8)

Question 1

post-Cold War era of Wars

Answer 1

• 95% of conflicts occur within state

Question 2

Conventional view of war

Answer 2

armed conflict between opposing states

Question 3

Features of new wars

Answer 3

• Civil rather than inter-state
• Identity at forefront
• asymmetrical (fought between unequal parties)
• breakdown of civilian/military distinction
• more barbaric

Question 4

Reasons for decline of inter-state war

Answer 4

• spread of democracy
• globalization
• changing moral attitudes (linked to UN)
• developments in weapons tech

Question 5

Identity Wars

Answer 5

Primary motivation for conflict:

Quest for cultural regeneration
Demand that people’s collective identity is publicly and politically recognized

Question 6

Realpolitik

Answer 6

War and peace are beyond morality
war is a universal norm of human history

Question 7

Just War theory

Answer 7

based on the assumption that war can be justified

Principles include
- last resort
- just cause
- proportionality
- legitimate authority
etc.

Question: only against wrong already committed or anticipated need as well?

Question 8

Examples

Answer 8

The Afghan War (2001)

Yugoslavia

The Gulf War (1991)

Question 9

Pacifism

Answer 9

All war is morally wrong

Important internationally in 2 ways
- ‘legal pacifism’- provided support for supranational bodies (staunch supporters for a world gov.)

• feuled mergence of peace movement/activism
  (first emerged in response to nuclear era)

Question 10

Intervention

Answer 10

When one state takes action against another. Traditionally looked down upon as much of the international law has been created around principles of state sovereignty

Question 11

Examples of humanitarian intervention

Answer 11

1994 - Rwanda
After the genocide the French created a ‘safe zone’ for Hutu’s to flee to (Operation Turquoise)
(Did not prevent genocide though)

1999- Kosovo
(in the context of fears of ethnic cleansing the Albanian population) US-led NATO forces conducted air strikes forced Serbs to agree to withdraw from Kosovo
- wish to prevent refugee crisis & regional instability

Question 12

CNN effect

Answer 12

The effect of global media and communications to put pressure on states to have moral responsibility for more than their own people

They are criticized during periods of ‘non-intervention’ (Rwanda)