U.S. Military Intervention in the Post-cold War Era: How to Win America's Wars in the Twenty-first Century (Political Traditions in Foreign Policy Series)

During the post--World War II era, American foreign policy prominently featured direct U.S. military intervention in the Third World. Yet the cold war placed restraints on where and how Washington could intervene until the collapse of the former Soviet Union removed many of the barriers to -- and ideological justifications for -- American intervention. Since the end of the cold war, the United States has completed several military interventions that may be guided by motives very different from those invoked before the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Likewise, such operations, now free from the threat of counterintervention by any other superpower, seem governed by a new set of rules. In this readily accessible study, political scientist Glenn J. Antizzo identifies fifteen factors critical to the success of contemporary U.S. military intervention and evaluates the likely efficacy of direct U.S. military involvement today -- when it will work, when it will not, and how to undertake such action in a manner that will bring rapid victory at an acceptable political cost. He lays out the preconditions that portend success, among them a clear and attainable goal; a mission that is neither for "peacekeeping" nor for "humanitarian aid within a war zone"; a strong probability the American public will support or at least be indifferent to the effort; a willingness to utilize ground forces if necessary; an operation limited in geographic scope; and a theater commander permitted discretion in the course of the operation. Antizzo then tests his abstract criteria by using real-world case studies of the most recent fully completed U.S. military interventions -- in Panama in 1989, Iraq in 1991, Somalia in 1992--94, and Kosovo in 1999 -- with Panama, Iraq, and Kosovo representing generally successful interventions and Somalia an unsuccessful one. Finally, he considers how the development of a "Somalia Syndrome" affected U.S. foreign policy and how the politics and practice of military intervention have continued to evolve since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, giving specific attention to the current war in Afghanistan and the larger War on Terror. U.S. Military Intervention in the Post--Cold War Era exemplifies political science at its best: the positing of a hypothetical model followed by a close examination of relevant cases in an effort to provide meaningful insights for future American international policy During the post-World War II era, American foreign policy featured direct U.S. military intervention in the Third World. The Cold War placed restraints on where and how Washington could intervene until the collapse of the former Soviet Union removed many barriers to and ideological justifications for American intervention. Since end of the Cold War, the United States has completed several military interventions that may be guided by motives very different from those invoked before collapse of the Berlin Wall. Such operations, now free from threat of counter intervention by any other superpower, seem governed by a new set of rules. In this study, political scientist Glenn J. Antizzo identifies fifteen factors critical to success of contemporary U.S. military intervention and evaluates the likely efficacy of direct U.S. military involvement today - when it will work, when it will not, and how to undertake such action that will bring rapid victory at an acceptable political cost. He lays out preconditions that portend success, among them a clear and attainable goal; a mission that is neither for "peacekeeping" nor for "humanitarian aid within a war zone"; a strong probability the American public will support or at least be indifferent to the effort; a willingness to use ground forces if necessary; an operation limited in geographic scope; and a theater commander permitted discretion in course of the operation. Antizzo tests his abstract criteria by using real-world case studies of the most recent fully completed U.S. military interventions : in Panama in 1989, Iraq in 1991, Somalia in 1992-94, and Kosovo in 1999 with Panama, Iraq, and Kosovo representing generally successful interventions and Somalia an unsuccessful one. Finally, Antizzo considers how development of a "Somalia Syndrome" affected U.S. foreign policy and how the politics and practice of military intervention have continued to evolve since terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, giving attention to current war in Afghanistan and larger War on Terror Contents......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 12 INTRODUCTION......Page 16 1. A BRIEF HISTORY OF U.S. DIRECT MILITARY INTERVENTION......Page 27 2. PRECONDITIONS FAVORING THE SUCCESS OF MILITARY INTERVENTION IN THE POST–COLD WAR ERA: A Typology......Page 44 3. OPERATION JUST CAUSE: The Invasion of Panama......Page 56 4. OPERATION DESERT STORM: Iraq and the Liberation of Kuwait......Page 84 5. OPERATION RESTORE HOPE: Humanitarian Relief in Somalia......Page 120 6. OPERATION ALLIED FORCE: The Air War in Kosovo......Page 156 7. EVALUATING THE INTERVENTIONIST TYPOLOGY......Page 224 EPILOGUE: The “Somalia Syndrome” and the War on Terror......Page 251 Bibliography......Page 264 B......Page 270 C......Page 271 G......Page 272 I......Page 273 K......Page 274 M......Page 275 N......Page 276 P......Page 277 R......Page 278 S......Page 279 U......Page 280 Z......Page 281 A Brief History Of U.s. Direct Military Intervention -- Preconditions Favoring The Success Of Military Intervention In The Post-cold War Era : A Typology -- Operation Just Cause : The Invasion Of Panama -- Operation Desert Storm : Iraq And The Liberation Of Kuwait -- Operation Restore Hope : Humanitarian Relief In Somalia -- Operation Allied Force : The Air War In Kosovo -- Evaluating The Interventionist Typology -- Epilogue : The Somalia Syndrome And The War On Terror. Glenn J. Antizzo. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. A brief history of U.S. direct military intervention Preconditions favoring the success of military intervention in the post cold war era : a typology Operation Just Cause : the invasion of Panama Operation Desert Storm : Iraq and the liberation of Kuwait Operation Restore Hope : humanitarian relief in Somalia Operation Allied Force : the air war in Kosovo Evaluating the interventionist typology Epilogue : the "Somalia Syndrome" and the War on Terror.