Week 9 (Humanitarian Intervention) Flashcards
Militarized Humanitarian Intervention
the use of military force to protect civilians from the repressive and violent acts of their government. Controversial - some believe it makes the situation worse, and can be used to push foreign policy. Ex. NATO’s action in Kosovo, NoamChomsky argued that it was unfair and irresponsible
Do Nothing/Foreign Aid
Pros: Addresses root causes of human rights issues, helps build infrastructure, and supports vulnerable populations.
Cons: May not address immediate human rights crises and can be influenced by political considerations.
Name and Shame
Pro: Publicly naming and shaming human rights violators can raise awareness on a global scale, fostering public support for action against the perpetrators.
Con: Naming and shaming may have limited impact on governments that are indifferent to international public opinion or have autocratic structures.
Refer to the ICC
Pros: Holding perpetrators accountable for their actions and establishing a precedent for justice.
Cons: Limited jurisdiction, challenges in enforcing decisions, and potential for politicization.
Fund domestic opposition movements
Pros: Can provide a middle ground between diplomacy and overt military action.
Cons: Lack of transparency and accountability, potential for unintended consequences.
Impose economic sanctions
Pros: Sanctions can be a non-military way to influence a country, and they may have economic and political impacts.
Cons: Sanctions can harm the civilian population, may not be effective, and can strain international relations.
Engage in cyber warfare
Pro: Cyberattacks can disrupt an adversary’s economy and infrastructure without causing physical destruction, potentially pressuring the government to change its behavior.
Con: Using cyberwarfare as a tool for intervention may contribute to the erosion of global norms and agreements related to cybersecurity, making the internet less secure for all states.
Moral reason for “Do Nothing”
Addressing domestic human rights issues is more morally important than addressing distant ones
Foreign interventions violate the norm of domestic sovereignty, which is central to maintaining international peace and stability
Foreign interventions, no matter how well intended, can make things worse
Example: Kosovo
NATOs intervention caused an increased number of refugees and deaths in Albania
Questions that policy advisors may need to consider when assessing the merits of a militarized intervention
Is the use of military force likely to be successful?
Do the civilians want humanitarian intervention?
Are the rights violations severe enough to be militarized?
Are we sure we have exhausted all other policy options?
Will the UN Security Council approve
Will the Canadian Public approve
Do we have plans in place to ensure post-war security and reconstruction in the invaded country?
What does Hume and Smith argue?
They utilized the philosophical ideals of sympathy and justice to discuss the morality and justness of military intervention.
The most important one is that restraint in military intervention is always desirable, because international disorder remains perhaps the main threat to human dignity, liberty and prosperity.
Richmond’s debate over the 1999 Kosovo Intervention
This article argues that the intervention proved huge international divide because it sparked many substantive differences regarding the source and nature of legitimacy and sovereignty, and the values they ascribe to the international community.
The intervention was labelled as “illegal but legitimate” because the UN said the action was justified due to how it liberated the majority population of Kosovo from Serbian oppression.
Kosovo background
A then communist country turned into a capitalist one after splitting from Serbia.
- majorly ethnically split: 92% Albanian (Muslim), 5% Serbs (Orthodox Christians)
- Kosovo Albanians nationalism started growing and wanted independence… after a brutal conflict between the Serbs and Albanians, the Serbs withdrew after western forces interfered and Kosovo finally got independence
