military intervention pros and cons

International Humanitarian Law is the legal foundation of humanitarian interventions and understanding its basic concepts is key to gaining an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of trying to end crimes against humanity. Again, military force is good at creating contexts, but what happens within those contexts is more a matter for diplomats and policymakers. It can be hard to find concrete examples of when humanitarian interventions have acted as deterrence to governments and regimes. Moreover, in many cases, there are ethnic conflicts within societies. We understand that product offers and rates from third-party sites may change, and while we make every effort to keep our content updated, the figures mentioned on our site may differ from actual numbers. US-Iraq ProCon.org They should use force only in those cases when there is a risk of eminent danger. hide caption. When armed groups or governments are attacking civilians, or civilian populations are caught between warring factions, it can be impossible for aid to reach people. Domestic opposition to such a commitment can be reduced and overcome by concerted presidential effort and by designing interventions that justify an American casualty level by the interests at stake. WebThe main aim of a humanitarian intervention is to use military force to stop human rights abuses and atrocities. Thank you for supporting the site. The Pros and Cons of Humanitarian Intervention (2020, May 23). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. As has been shown, air power is clearly limited in what it can be expected to accomplish. This case is important because it shows that sometimes political leaders may not have accurate information (Amstutz, 2013). This is of the main pitfalls that should be avoided. In the long term, this government can turn into an enemy of the United States and its allies (Seybolt, 2007, p. 3). It is the aim. Moreover, the lesson of several such interventions, including those in Haiti and Bosnia, seems to be that prolonged commitments do not stir controversy at home so long as casualties are kept to a minimum, which is more likely to be the case when the purpose of an intervention is defined modestly. Retrieved from https://ivypanda.com/essays/military-interventions-advantages-and-disadvantages/. This page contains affiliate links. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'humanitariancareers_com-leader-2','ezslot_8',605,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-humanitariancareers_com-leader-2-0');Two humanitarian interventions that are renowned for their huge financial costs are the US interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, there has been no humanitarian intervention to stop the widespread abuses of human rights. The unintended consequences of political actions are known as blowback, a term coined during the Cold War. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. 2020. New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield. Not only that but A famous case of this was during the Yugoslav Wars: the U.S., with the help of the United Nations, entered Serbia in 1992 in order to stop the Bosnian genocide. Although there is no guarantee that what replaces a dictatorial regime will be democracy, an argument in favour of humanitarian interventions is that they can be used to remove horrific governments from power. The database is updated daily, so anyone can easily find a relevant essay example. Pros And Cons This American interference was so common that even private organizations such as the United Fruit Company, Standard Fruit Company, and Cuyamel Fruit Company all interfered in the politics of Central America. A final major argument against humanitarian interventions is that many times events that probably should have had military intervention to prevent have not received international action where-as other contexts have. In Kosovo, it would have been wiser to continue diplomacy and deal with a limited humanitarian crisis while looking for ways to weaken or topple the Milosevic regime, or to send in ground forces at the outset and prevent the displacement and killing. - Definition & Examples, The Critical Thinking Process: Point-of-View, Assumptions, Evidence & Conclusions, Alexander Pope's An Essay on Man: Summary & Analysis, St. Anselm's Ontological Argument for God's Existence, What is Interventionism in Politics? The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. New York, NY: Routledge. This requires time and political capital, but it is time and capital well spent. This can make it difficult to build trust and establish a stable government in the long term. Those arguing against the practice say the U.S. violates the sovereignty of other nations by doing this, while those in support of intervention say it prevents violence and human rights abuses. In some cases, the military may also target civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools, which can further exacerbate the suffering of communities. By taking military action against the perpetrators, humanitarian interventions can end such atrocities. During this early period in American history, many supported the idea of isolationism, or the desire to limit interactions with other nations. All of these are humanitarian interventions that protected civilians. The notion of an intervention providing a fixed amount of breathing room, after which the local people and governments will be on their own, is absurd; the United States will not be able to turn its back on a humanitarian problem if it gets bad enough or if U.S. strategic interests are adversely affected. Overall, what is most noteworthy about Americas principal military interventions over the past decade is their number and variety. Syria Intervention: Some Pros, Mostly Cons However, one should mention that the results of inaction can also be catastrophic. You are obliged to complete the years of service agreed upon. The Political Economy of Human Rights Enforcement: Moral and Intellectual Leadership in the Context of Global Hegemony. Armed Forces: Pros and Cons of Joining the Military Another online short course we highly recommend for those interested in humanitarian interventions is The Changing Global Order, also offered by Leiden University. Overall, this argument is based on the premises of the just war theory which postulates that a military action be justified when it is necessary to stop injustice (Al-Haj, 2013). This would often result in the toppling of governments, the control of international markets, or the outright conquest of these foreign countries. A second consideration is the likely costs and consequences of acting, both for the immediate problem and for broader U.S. strategic and economic interests. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you The choice to intervene with military force must be made carefullyand carried out decisivelyfor American foreign policy to prosper. Still, even an ideal military cannot succeed if it is undermined by either of two constraints. Create an account to start this course today. Debate: Does U.S. Military Intervention In The Middle East Amstutz, M. (2013). https://ivypanda.com/essays/military-interventions-advantages-and-disadvantages/, IvyPanda. First of all, humanitarian intervention is particularly necessary when there is a risk of violence that is based on national, religious, or ethnic prejudice. Often humanitarian interventions are the only action that can be taken to remove these regimes. This means if you a follow a link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you, Humanitarian Careers will receive a commission. Manokha, I. However, this country is still torn apart by ethnic and religious hostilities. Humanitarian interventions can stop attacks on civilians through destroying military hardware, limiting governments and armed groups abilities to carry out atrocities, or by removing unjust governments from power. There are also diplomatic opportunities that can arise from military intervention. Over time, the map of U.S. interventions would expand to include countries from every continent on Earth. He blogs at nationalinterest.org. Whether it actually deterred any action by China is less clear, as it is difficult to discern Chinas intentions. In turn, the international community wanted to stop this ethnic cleansing. The U.S. has invaded several foreign countries during its history of interventionism. Another example is the decision not to dispatch a force to East Timor when order broke down there in the wake of a vote favoring independence from Indonesia. Delay can make any intervention more complicated and costly. Starting at a relatively modest pace diluted the psychological and political impact of the NATO action; it also gave Serbia an almost free hand to pursue its objectives using ground forces. In any case, enlisting in the army is an important decision. One has to be ready to make personal sacrifices and face the harsh realities of service. But, not everything is as bad as it seems. For every con about joining the armed forces, theres a pro that evens things out a little. When it comes to humanitarian situations, several factors should influence the decision to intervene. WebIntervention in World War II (1939-1945) resulted in the U.S. emerging as one of the two world's superpowers (the Soviet Union was the other) and arguably the most powerful country on earth. Six weeks of intense bombing of Iraq and Iraqi forces could not liberate Kuwait during the 1990-91 Persian Gulf conflict; it also took 100 hours of ground warfare. The former effort must be ended before the latter can be effective. Humanitarian interventions can be used to remove these regimes with the idea to replace them with more democratic and inclusive governments. But coercion does make for clarity of purpose, because it links intervention with a specific goal. He has held several academic positions, teaching in the history department at the University of Central Florida, the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University and at New York University's Wagner School of Public Service. An invisible genocide: how the Western media failed to report the 1994 Rwandan genocide of the Tutsi and why. Arguments are often made for humanitarian interventions when there are reports of extensive and wide-spread human rights abuses. William has taught world geography, world history, and government for over 3 years. It is possible to provide several examples of successful and unsuccessful military interventions. The dismal showing of the Apache helicopters in Kosovothe difficulties in getting them there and up and runningsounds a warning that the U.S. military needs greater flexibility, which means a force that is easily moved and capable of coping with a wide range of missions in a wide range of environments. Operation Desert Fox against Iraq in 1998 employed a modest amount of air power for a short and arbitrary period of time with no goal other than to weaken the adversarys strength to some unspecified degree. It is true that American interests in Kosovo were less than vital, and that persuading the American people and their elected representatives of the need to make large sacrifices, including casualties, would not have been easy. Whether that is in the best interests of the U.S. and the world has been a source of controversy for just as long. Moreover, modern Balkan states have begun to recover economically and politically (Kerton-Johnson, 2010, p. 81). As the dispute grew more intense, the American Congress authorized the Navy to use force against French vessels. This is a significant argument in favour of humanitarian interventions. Most times the U.S. send troops to overthrow autocratic rulers and build democracy. Therefore, a humanitarian intervention can be critical for protection the geopolitical interests of a country as well as its national security. This is combined with the need to keep armies, air forces and navies on stand-by and be able to project military force around the world. The American intervention in Yugoslavia is often credited for helping to stop the violence of the Bosnian Genocide. Additionally, it is possible that in the course of this ethnic conflict, a dictatorial and totalitarian government can come into power. If you are the copyright owner of this paper and no longer wish to have your work published on IvyPanda. Military forces can restore peace and security to areas where there is unrest or conflict, and help establish a stable government. (In the end, the United States contributed several hundred intelligence, logistics, and communications specialists, but only after the UN authorized and the government of Indonesia invited in an Australian-led, multinational peacekeeping force.) In particular, one should mention that the War in Iraq. May 23, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/military-interventions-advantages-and-disadvantages/. Aaron David Miller is vice president for new initiatives and a distinguished scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Create your account. In a recent Intelligence Squared U.S. debate, two teams of foreign policy experts faced off on the motion "Flexing American Muscles In The Middle East Will Make Things Worse." Pros And Cons Of Military Intervention - 1112 Words | Studymode While it can be a powerful tool for promoting peace and stability, it can also lead to significant human and economic costs. The Pros And Cons Of Military Intervention Military Interventions like those in Ukraine, Iraq, Yemen and Syria is the invasion of another countrys army to suppress the chaos in a particular country. This online course shows the challenges in doing this and the international security context that surrounds humanitarian interventions. Pros An often-sighted argument against humanitarian interventions is that they are often used a cover by countries for military actions. For instance, the invasion of Iraq took lives of more than 4400 American soldiers (Gelpi, 2009, p. 258). The first major benefit of humanitarian interventions is that they protect civilians.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'humanitariancareers_com-box-4','ezslot_4',104,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-humanitariancareers_com-box-4-0'); The main aim of a humanitarian intervention is to use military force to stop human rights abuses and atrocities. The Case Against Intervention. However, many recent attempts to end atrocities by use of military force have been unsuccessful some even causing more conflict and bloodshed. Modern military equipment costs many millions of dollars. With over ten years experience in the aid industry across fifteen countries, Duncan set-up Humanitarian Careers to help people launch their own career in international aid. A final case that can be made for humanitarian intervention is that allows war criminals and human rights abuses to held to account. Consequences for Defense and Foreign Policy. Bret Stephens is deputy editor of the editorial page at the Wall Street Journal, responsible for the opinion sections of the Journal's sister editions in Europe and Asia. Therefore, military and political leaders must ensure that the actions are based on verified information. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Deciding whether to intervene for what are entirely or mostly humanitarian reasons need not be an all-or-nothing choice. All rights reserved. The U.N. peacekeepers entered the territory of the country when the violence against the Tutsi people was already rampant (Cohen, 2007). The first is an unwillingness to allow the military to do its job even when U.S. interests warrant it and the military tool is judged the most appropriate. He is an adjunct history professor, middle school history teacher, and freelance writer.

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