Policy Midterm Part 2
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Dec 6, 2023
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Policy Midterm Part 2
2.
The United States has never adopted clear policy guidelines regarding the use of force. When is
military intervention overseas appropriate? Use real examples. Defend your position, including
acknowledging the potential risks associated with your chosen scenario(s).
Military intervention overseas is essential when there is confirmed suspicion of WMD, tremendous
losses of life are observed and or threatened, Diplomacy is no longer an options and our countries
collective security it threatened (McAfee 2012).
Confirmation of WMD including biochemical, chemical, and physical weapons along with the foreign
countries wiliness to use them is a condition in which military intervention should be eminent. The
interventions employed should be successful to either eliminate the threats or significantly delay the
onset of war. The ends must outweigh the means and interventions should be substantial enough to be
an effective deterrent to further aggression from the opposition.
As a member of the United Nations and NATO, we should have the support of the organizations in order
to maintain Diplomacy with our Allies (Solarz n.d.). We should also consider the costs of war. As a
country we are still trying to get all of the troops out of the Middle East, right now the Idea of another
Military intervention is not very favorable. There are risks to waiting. In The Arab spring example,
President Obama chose to get approval from congress for further intervention. This move could be very
risky as it could appear that the President cannot make decisions and that we as a country are weak and
lack leadership. Moreover, delaying Military action could deteriorate the situation even more and
potentially cause Assad to engage in other conflicts while waiting. If we choose not to intervene, we risk
diplomatic relations with Syria. As a nation, we state that we choose not to ignore injustices and murder
of innocent people. Delaying intervention could have moral repercussions and show that we are not who
we are, we cannot be trusted, and we simply do not care (Solarz n.d.).
On the other hand, Intervening can mean more financial strain on the economy, Military intervention
that turns into War, resentment from our own people who feel that their word does not count and more
American lives lost. Over all our collective security could be in question (McAfee 2012). The Assad
regime has made it clear that they will continue to hurt people with chemical weapons of which they
could possibly turn on us. Intervening and being on the offensive could be a deterrent to more
aggressive action from Assad. Being on the Offensive could make Assad regime their actions and come
back to more diplomatic solutions, in which case it would strengthen our collective security and resolve
(McAfee 2012). Early intervention could also prevent more costly actions in the long term (Solarz n.d.).
The challenge to all of this is that President Obama must understand all the Intelligence information that
has been compiled and trust that what he is being told is as accurate as possible. Otherwise, we will be
in another situation where we think that WMD are active and indeed, they are not after we have spent
billions of dollars in military intervention.
Bibliography
McAfee, Andrea. POLS410 – PUBLIC POLICY. Charles Town: American Public University Electronic Press,
2012.
Solarz, Stephen J. and O'Hanlon, Michael E. "Humanitarian intervention: When is force justified?"
Washington Quarterly. Fall97, Vol. 20 Issue 4, p3. 12p. 1 Chart. ., n.d.
Serafino, Nina M. 2007. "Peacekeeping and Related Stability Operations: Issues of U.S. Military
Involvement: RL33557." Congressional Research Service: Report 1-20. International Security & Counter
Terrorism Reference Center, EBSCOhost (accessed February 22, 2014).
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