Military Intervention

Cases in Context for the Twenty-First Century

William J Lahneman editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Rowman & Littlefield

Published:23rd Feb '04

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Military Intervention cover

Internal conflict continues to be the most common form of organized violence, most often occurring in a so-called 'arc of instability' comprised of Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. The misery and death caused by these conflicts, with helpless civilians often victims, has resulted in states and coalitions of states intervening militarily to stop the bloodshed, giving rise to many difficult issues. When should states perform military intervention? How should it be conducted? Is intervention a tactic that can be executed exclusive of other considerations or must it be part of a wider strategy? What makes it a success? And when can occupying troops return home? Military Intervention: Cases in Context for the Twenty-First Century strives to answer these and other questions by comparing and contrasting both the theory and practice of military intervention. It thoroughly reviews the literature and derives a set of guidelines for initiating, conducting, and terminating this complex undertaking. It then evaluates the validity of these guidelines by analyzing the recent cases of Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Haiti, Cambodia, East Timor, and Sierra Leone. The volume concludes with lessons on the why, when, and how of conducting a military intervention and offers recommendations for Afghanistan and Iraq.

This volume examines not only a number of recent military interventions but the backdrop against which they proved to be either undertaken too late to do the good they could have achieved earlier, or too timid to impact lastingly prospects for positive state-building. This distinguished set of authors presents policy-oriented conclusions highly relevant to debates about preemption, the humanitarian imperative and nation-building that future military and civilian planners would be wise to study and heed. -- David M. Malone, president, International Peace Academy
This collection of essays by William Lahneman provides a useful set of case studies and summary reflections on military interventions since the end of the Cold War. The case studies in the volume are exceptionally well executed by senior scholars imbued with both deep awareness of theoretical issues and knowledge of the cases themsevles. [The author's] summary conclusions of the cases are most valuable. * Political Science Quarterly *
This volume is a useful addition to the body of work that attempts to bridge the gap between the realms of academic theory and practical application. * Naval War College Review *
This is an impressive collection covering the field of intervention in civil conflict; its scope and depth make it a valuable resource for literate policymakers, advanced undergraduate and graduate students, and scholars alike. Impressive framing chapters set a high standard for the eight case studies, providing readers with a rich basis for comparative analysis and enabling cross-case and cross-regional conclusions. This study deserves a place in any self-respecting foreign affairs library. -- Chester A. Crocker, James R. Schlesinger Professor of Strategic Studies, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University

ISBN: 9780742529519

Dimensions: 225mm x 146mm x 14mm

Weight: 322g

248 pages