|
Chapter 15: War and Peace in the Modern Age Chapter Summary | Chapter Objectives | Suggested Readings | Links
Before considering alternative approaches to peace, several factors that affect war and peace in the modern world are presented. They include the threat of nuclear war, the terrible consequences of conventional war, the enormous costs associated with arms races, the serious problems presented by the very structure of the nation-state system, the unprecedented war on terrorism being led by the United States, and the weaknesses demonstrated by the United Nations. Six approaches to a more peaceful world order are then presented. The alternatives do not exhaust all the possibilities, and they may sometimes overlap. They do illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of key approaches. First, a new balance of power is a position based on the assumption that foreign policy must realistically accept the struggle for power in world affairs generally and between great powers specifically. Great powers will seek to exert and extend their influence on behalf of their vital national interests. Only power can balance power; only strength can deter or defeat aggression. Current trends in the international system reflect the enormous power of the United States--a near unipolar condition. But this may not last for long, and a new balance of power may well emerge. While based on the power-versus-power equation, it would differ in some ways from the balance-of-power system that characterized the cold war. It would likely be multipolar rather than bipolar, and it would place greater emphasis on economic power. Second, United Nations’ third-party activities cover a wide range of techniques including good offices, conciliation, investigation, mediation, arbitration, observation, truce supervision, and peacekeeping. The ending of the cold war has profoundly affected the United Nations, and this is most evident in the UN Security Council, where, since the cold war’s end, it has been far easier to gain consensus on issues. Perhaps this development provides a new hope for the quest for peace. Third, collective security must be considered as an additional avenue for peace. It involves an agreement among states, usually within the context of an international organization like the United Nations, to protect each other from aggression by fellow member signatories to the agreement. In the aftermath of the cold war, the United Nations Security Council passed a dozen resolutions condemning Iraqi aggression against Kuwait, establishing economic sanctions, and authorizing collective military action against Iraq. For the advocates of collective security, this was an encouraging development. Fourth, global economic integration provides another alternative for dealing with war. Groups of states, either at the regional or even on a global level, dramatically increase their economic interaction--in trade, finance, transportation, communication--to the point where the separate national economies become more interdependent. The more integrated and interdependent economies become, the higher the cost to be paid for engaging in violent conflict. Fifth, functionalism is a theory positing that the world would be better off if it were organized around the fulfillment of basic human needs such as food, water, shelter, health delivery, environmental health, and communication. Those who endorse this approach maintain that human beings will move toward world peace if functional organizations can better meet common needs and advance mutual interests. With increased powers, funds, and activities, and by grappling with common problems, these organizations can build a trusting global community. Finally, advocates of nonviolent civilian defense maintain that a breakthrough to a more peaceful world order can be achieved only if nonviolence is seriously considered. Nonviolent action is defined as various forms of protest and noncooperation without physical violence.
Atkinson, Rick. Crusade: The Untold Story of the Persian Gulf War. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1994. Beckman, Peter R., et al. The Nuclear Predicament: Nuclear Weapons in the Twenty-First Century. 3d ed. New York: Prentice Hall, 2000. Bobbit, Philip. The Shield of Achilles: War, Peace, and the Course of History. New York: Knopf, 2002. Mangold, Tom, and Jeff Goldberg. Plague Wars: The Terrifying Reality of Biological Warfare. New York: St. Martin’s, 1999. O’Hanlon, Michael. Saving Lives with Force: Military Criteria for Humanitarian Intervention. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 1997. Scales, Maj. General Robert H. Jr., ed. Future Warfare: Anthology. Carlisle Barracks, PA: U.S. Army War College, 1999. Snow, Donald M. UnCivil Wars: International Security and the New Internal Conflicts. New York: St. Martin’s, 1996. Snow, Donald M. When America Fights: The Uses of U.S. Military Force. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2000.
Center for Defense Information (CDI) CDI was founded in 1972 by recently-retired senior U.S. military officers and considers itself an independent monitor of the United States Department of Defense. It conducts a variety of security-related research projects on subjects such as defense spending, nuclear proliferation, defense policy, threat assessment, and terrorism. Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) IWPR is dedicated to presenting unbiased information on international conflict areas and most specifically with encouraging accurate reporting of conflict. Among its activities are the establishment and running of journalist training projects. The IWPR Web site offers specific conflict analysis and many valuable links to other sites. International Crisis Group (ICG) The ICG is a private, multinational organization dedicated to the anticipation, understanding, prevention, and containment of conflict. The site offers valuable summaries and analysis of conflict throughout the world. The Peace Resource Center is sponsored by the University of Minnesota’s Human Rights Library and is essentially a directory of links related to peace studies and concerns. Categories of links include general peace documents, war and peace documents, recent peace accords, humanitarian law, international criminal tribunals, public awareness, media outlets, and human rights education. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) This Sweden-based research institute studies and reports on conflict and cooperation issues of importance to international peace and security. In addition to offering specialized reports, the institute publishes an annual report on armaments, disarmament, and international security--one of the most valuable documents in the field. The SIPRI Web site is loaded with data and analyses related to international conflict. United States Institute of Peace (USIP) The United States Institute of Peace is a nonpartisan federal institute funded by the U.S. Congress. Its stated mission is to “...strengthen the nation’s capacity to promote the peaceful resolution of international conflict.” Of particular value on the Institute’s Web site are the various news and peace reports on conflict/tension areas such as the Middle East, the Balkans, and North Korea.
|
