Military Interventions by the Western States, in Response to Humanitarian Crisis since the Cold War - Essay Example

Military Interventions by Western s, In Response to Humanitarian Crisis since the End of the Cold War, Have Been Motivated By Moral Introduction According to the United Nations, Humanitarian Intervention is the involvement of military forces from other countries in a sovereign state in response to the violation of human rights occurring in the state (Wheeler, 2000). This is normally the case especially in countries that are experiencing civil wars. In fact, chapter seven of the chatter of the United States of America provides that if non military measures such as economic sanctions do not result in the end of a humanitarian crisis, then Security Council is mandated to intervene using land, sea, and air forces (UN, 2013). However, the legality of military interventions where there are humanitarian crisis is always in question. This is so since, there are no legal platforms that allow foreign country’s military forces to occupy or use force in another country without the consent of the invaded country’s government. Thus, this paper will examine how humanitarian interventions have been motivated by moral values rather than legal actions by carefully examining the major humanitarian intervention that western countries have undertaken since the end of the cold war and the ethical and moral theories that are considered when undertaking such interventions. On examining such interventions, it is possible for to determine whether morality is the factor behind humanitarian interventions by western countries. Body (for) Indeed military interventions due to humanitarian crisis have been motivated by moral values and not political or economic interests since there have been various military interventions around the world where there is no political or economic gain in question. By examining the Humanitarian intervention done in Libya, and Kosovo, one is able to clearly establish that indeed western countries offer military intervention in countries where there is humanitarian crisis and not as a result of economic or political gain (Chandler, 2006). In Libya, humanitarian crisis presented itself when the Arab revolution that took place in the Middle East and North Africa where citizens demonstrated in demand for change. This turned into a civil war where the then government ordered the massacre of innocent civilians. The United Nation tried imposing economic sanctions but the atrocities did not end. Were it not for the actions of the United Nation to mandate a military intervention then the violation of human rights by the then Libyan government could not have come to an end. Kosovo is another good example of how military intervention motivated by moral values resulted in positive results. More than 230,000 people had been internally displaced due to the civil war in Kosovo and thousands of innocent civilians had been killed. The western countries could not sit and watch while crimes against humanity were being committed in Kosovo. As a result of their moral obligation in 1998 both the United Nations and NATO agreed and military intervention by western countries took place in Kosovo resulting in the end of the Humanitarian crisis in the country. The situations in the two counties clearly show that military intervention by western countries is morally right because it resulted in the saving of lives in the respective countries. Body (against) International politics are dominated by western countries that try to impose western ideologies o the other countries raising the question whether moral values or political interests motivate these interventions. This is because, western countries tend to warrant military intervention claiming their moral obligation whereas the truth of the matter is that some military intervention are actually carried out as a result of either economic or political gain. In fact Marxists cite the notion that former United States of America president Nixon comment that the USA offers aid to other countries in order to help themselves to prove that military intervention by western states such as the United States of America are not motivated by Moral obligations and Values. (Belloni, 2007). This can be clearly established by examining the war in Iraq and that of Afghanistan. The western countries invaded Iraq with an aim of humanitarian intervention. They accused the government of ethnic cleansing and the development and use of weapons of mass destruction. However, evidence has been shown that economic factors motivated the military intervention that took place in Iraq. This is because up to date no weapons of mass destruction have ever been discovered in Iraq proving that western countries were motivated by the presence of oil in the country. When one considers Afghanistan clearly moral values did not warrant military intervention. Western claim to have invaded the country in order to free its citizens from the Taliban rule. However, it is a known fact that Afghanistan was invaded by the United States of America and Britain as retaliation due to the terror attacks that had been carried out by the Al Qaeda, a terrorist group that was supported by the Taliban of Afghanistan at the time. The two examples show that military intervention by the Western countries is wrong since it is not based on the right reasons. Conclusion It is with no doubt that moral values have not been the motivator of military intervention in countries where there is humanitarian crisis proving that humanitarian intervention is wrong. However, more should be done to ensure that such interventions are done due to the right reasons in order for situations such as Syria to be resolved early enough minimizing the number of atrocities committed in such situations (Hashemi & Postl, 2013). It is a fact that moral values have been the factor motivating humanitarian intervention by western countries. However, current trends are bringing up the question whether this is truly the fact. This can be further established by comparing the humanitarian crisis that was in Libya and that currently in Syria. This is so since it took very little time for the west to intervene in Libya yet nothing is being done in the case of Syria as a result of political and economic ties (Inbar, 2013). It is important for western countries to be fair when approaching international politics where they should respect the sovereignty of all countries. However, when human rights are violated in excess, then it is their duty to intervene. This should not be done selectively depending on the political or economic gain in question References Belloni R, 2007. "The Trouble with Humanitarianism", Review of International Studies, 33(3): 451-474. Chandler  D, 2006, From Kosovo to Kabul and Beyond Human Rights and International Intervention. London: Pluto Press. Halliday F, 2007, Relativism and Universality of Human Rights. Journal Hashemi N & Postl D, 2013, The Syria Dilemma, Massachusetts: IT Press. Print Inbar E, 2013, The Arab Spring, Democracy and Security: Domestic and International Ramifications, London: Routlegde. Print United Nations, 2013, Chater of the United Nations, Retrieved From: http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter7.shtml Wheeler N.,2000, Saving Strangers, Humanitarian Intervention in International Society, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Print Read More