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Essays on humanitarian intervention
Conflict in Bosnia and Kosovo
Conflict in Bosnia and Kosovo
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Humanitarian Intervention
Hypothesis: That despite the incidents where humanitarian interventions have proved seemingly unsuccessful, they are, nonetheless, a vital tool in alleviating the human suffering that so plagues contemporary society.
The post-Cold war world is one that has been riddled with conflict, suffering and war. In the face of such times, the issue of humanitarian intervention and about who, when and how it should be employed, has become hotly debated. While some critics declare this kind of intervention to be a violation of national sovereignty, others believe that relief efforts aimed at ending human suffering are perfectly justifiable. (7) The key question here is, if internal wars cause unacceptable human suffering, should the international community develop collective mechanisms for preventing or alleviating it?(5) This essay will attempt to address such a question, by outlining the arguments for and against humanitarian intervention in the context of the Bosnian crisis of 1991. In light of the evidence, it will be proven that although humanitarian intervention does have flaws, it is a vital tool in alleviating the human suffering that so plagues contemporary society.
The complex issue of humanitarian intervention is widely argued and inherently controversial. Humanitarian intervention involves the coercive action of states intervening in areas for the sole purpose of preventing or halting the killing or suffering of the people there. (1, 9, 5) It is an issue argued fervently amongst restrictionists and counter-restrictionists, who debate over whether humanitarian intervention is a breach of international law or a moral requirement. (10) Restrictionists argue that Articles 2 (7) and 2 (4) of the United Nations (UN) Charter render forcible humanitarian intervention illegal. The only legitimate exception to this, they claim, is the right to self defence, as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. (1-472) This position is contested by counter-restrictionists, who insist that any and all nations have the right, and the responsibility, to prevent humanitarian disasters. (8-5) Despite the declaration of a ‘new world order’, the post-Cold war world has not been a more peaceful one: regional and ethnic conflicts have, in fact, proliferated. Between 1989 and 1993, for example, thirteen new peacekeeping operations were launched by th...
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...gue that the Bosnian crisis is a prime example of why humanitarian intervention is a flawed and unsuccessful option. Critics argue that, even though the UN prevented hundreds of thousands of Bosnians in besieged towns from starvation, it did little or nothing to stop Bosnian Serbs from shelling these areas and ethnically cleansing them of Muslims. Furthermore, others claim that NATO’S degrading of Serb military capability from the air did nothing to save those civilians trapped in UN-created safe areas. In 1995 at least 7,414 Muslim men were rounded up in a Screbrenica enclave and systematically killed in the worst war crime of the whole war. However, while such examples may indicate that humanitarian interventions are not a legitimate option, there are also positive aspects that in some cases, compensate for, and override these negative flaws.
However, such a definition is open to much controversy. Who can authorise such interventions? What is classified as human suffering, and furthermore, what type of action is considered a legitimate response? (5- pg155) These are the questions that underpin the issue of humanitarian intervention, questions that remained unanswered today.
In “On the American Indians” Vitoria argues that there are few situations that justify a country to use humanitarian intervention. Humanitarian intervention is defined as military force, publicly stated to end the violation of human rights, against another state. Vitoria discredits the justification of humanitarian intervention in every case, unless you are intervening for an ally or a friend. In this paper, I will argue that his view is more plausible than it may at first appear.
An Imperfect Offering is a powerful personal memoir from a James Orbinski, a Canadian who has spent most of his adult life in front-line humanitarian work in the world's worst conflict zones. Despite its dark chapters, it is also a hopeful story about the emergence of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) as a new and independent agent of civil society, and the possibilities of making the world a better place. In “An Imperfect Offering”, James Orbinski tells the story of people who have been harmed by war, and humanitarian workers who have come to heal them when possible. He engages in deep reflection on the nature of humanitarian response and the many threats to this most human activity. He has sharp criticism for governments who act to cause suffering or to prevent its relief. He asks, “How am I able to be in relation to the suffering of others?” His life as a doctor, and a humanitarian worker illustrates this answer. Accordingly, the books main thesis is that humanitarianism is about the struggle to create space to be fully human. However, he illustrates how this struggle is becoming increasingly difficult with the imperfect offering of politics, which has resulted in the blurring of boundaries between humanitarian assistance and the political objectives of military intervention.
Genocide is a pressing issue with a multitude of questions and debates surrounding it. It is the opinion of many people that the United Nations should not get involved with or try to stop ongoing genocide because of costs or impositions on the rights of a country, but what about the rights of an individual? The UN should get involved in human rights crimes that may lead to genocide to prevent millions of deaths, save money on humanitarian aid and clean up, and fulfill their responsibilities to stop such crimes. It is preferable to stop genocide before it occurs through diplomacy, but if necessary, military force may be used as a last resort. Navi Pillay, Human Rights High Commissioner, stated, “Concerted efforts by the international community at critical moments in time could prevent the escalation of violence into genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity or ethnic cleansing.”
Another area of this paper I want to mention is the lack of help Bosnians received during this war torn time. The U.N. did not want to intervene till, in my opinion, it was too late. This is touched upon in each of the materials covered. 1993, the United Nations (UN) Security Council declared that Sarajevo, Gorazde, Srebrenica and other Muslim enclaves were to be safe areas, protected by a contingent of UN peacekeepers, which we read about in “Safe Area Gorazde” which we know that was a joke in its self
China emergence as a civilization is accomplished with little no contact with other empires due to its geographical isolation. This is evident by the lack of new people and languages. The term China during this period does not refer to the same geographical entity as commonly believed. China during this period is approximately one thousand miles north to South and East to West, occupying much of the temperate zone of East Asia. The land to the North is well suited for crops like Grain due to Loess: a fine wind-driven soil that is fertile and easy to toil with primitive tools. The region to the South is warmer, wetter and more suited to rice cultivation and double cropping. China is isolated from other civilizations by mountains, deserts and grasslands. The Bronze Age is marked by the Shang dynasty in their capitol of Anyang. Shang kings ruled for over two centuries. The royal tomb at Anyang was sixty feet deep and three hundred feet long. A tomb this size would have taken thousands of laborers and the advanced technology was evident as t...
The rise and fall of dynasties is a commonly discussed characteristic of the Chinese. The Shang dynasty (1500-1050 B.C.E.) was the foundation of innovative and progressive movements with the first to achieve a working writing system, metalworking, municipalities, and chariots. They believed in sacrificing the captives, who were excluded to being slaves, to the gods and ancestors for this was thought to be an aim for going to war. The invention of writing proved to be a phenomenal improvement as they could now keep records and deliver messages to the commanders of their armies far off at war. They used the logographic system; a word is represented by a pictoral sign which made literacy a royal attribute. With the successes of this risen dynasty, history tells us it must fall so another can be born for a balance in control can be established. An empire known as the Zhou dynasty (1050-256 B.C.E.) ov...
The concept of humanitarian intervention is highly contested but it is defined by Wise to be the threat or use of force across state borders by a state (or a group of states) aimed at preventing widespread and grave violations of fundamental human rights of individuals other than its own citizens, without the permission of the state within whose territory force is applied.
By analyzing the differences between the Zun and Dou vessel, one is able to glean insight into the Shang and Zhou cultures. The two dynasties ruled in a similar manner, and were consumed with the idea of prestige and status. They were interested in maintaining communication with ancestors as a sign of respect. This is evident through the utilization and application of the two objects. Both felt that art, specifically bronze, would indicate wealth and power for generations to come. This is why they played such a prominent role in tombs and why they exist today to examine and analyze, providing a glimpse of ancient Chinese culture
Stepping into a museum, large or small, locating in east or west countries, as long as it exhibits ancient Asian artworks, one can hardly not find bronzes placed in the most prominent spot, shone by a beam of cold white light. Bronze Age is not as lackluster or icy-cold as this dark metallic alloy shown to us ostensibly; instead, it was full of creativity and innovation. It is amazing but not surprising that ancient Chinese are considered one of the most intelligent group of human-being, produced such remarkable amount of artifacts to either use in their daily life as necessities or decorations, or sacrifice their ancestors, or record important events. This paper will provide a specific description of two bronze vessels respectively from Shang and Zhou dynasties, giving interpretations of their production process and their roles in ritual performance.
In 1127, after a prince of the Song Dynasty fled across the Yangtze River to Hangzhou, the Southern Song Dynasty was established. The Southern Song Dynasty achieved a period of economic success, prosperity, and artistic creativity, despite the fact that the military was not exactly strong. The Southern Song Dynasty’s downfall did not come from problems within, but was overthrown by Mongols in 1279, marking the end of the Song Dynasty.
What if I could go back in time and sit down with my teenage self? The conversation would seem longwinded, and I would probably want to tell me ‘okay’, just so I would shut up. If I could shake that spaced out kid, with his head in the clouds and yell into his face, ‘Listen, it doesn’t have to be difficult! Things can be so much easier if you pay a little more attention.’ Looking back as I went through high school my priorities changed, from music and friends to wanting to join the military. The decision to join the military changed my life and molded the person that I am today. I had it all figured out back then. My plan, my approach, and my dreams were in front of me.
These great dynasty’s significant military conflicts and their impact on the society only touch the surface on what the dynasties over time created. Key areas of infrastructure and newfound terrain were developed and attained through these trial times, but more importantly, a culture formed. The Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties all contributed the firm basis of Chinese culture as seen today. The development of this culture in China created the foundation for which a lifestyle formed, and will forever be with the past, present, and future Chinese
In 1899, a Chinese scholar was given a packet of animal bones covered with mysterious ancient writing. Archaeologists were sent to a site along the Huang He. They determined that a kingdom called Shang developed there at around 1700 B.C. A single family ruled the kingdom of a long time, So the government became known as the Shang dynasty. For 600 years the Shang dynasty shaped the lives of people living along the Huang He. The Shang dynasty ruled hundreds of towns along the Huang He. Shang kings also created new towns by giving land to their relatives, who oversaw the construction of the new
Humanitarian intervention has been the target of much criticism, essentially, in the past several decades. Particularly, questions arise when analyzing how nations decide whether or not to intervene in another state’s internal affairs. Politics plays a large role in most nations’ internal and external decisions. When faced with the question of if or where to intervene, concerning parties, being governments or IGOs, resort to the concept of a cost-benefit analysis to generate their verdict. Despite the magnitude of the violations, parties will ignore the violation of human rights in nations where the cost may outweigh the benefits.
Magno, A., (2001) Human Rights in Times of Conflict: Humanitarian Intervention . Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, 2 (5). [online] Available from: [Accessed 2 March 2011]