Evaluating the politics of humanitarian military interventions in complex emergencies: reflections from the case of Somalia

Abstract

This paper seeks to analyse questions regarding the politics of military action, which has sometimes been described as humanitarian in purpose in the period since the cold war. Special attention shall be given to the United States (US) since it is the foremost country in military interventions. The military intervention in Somalia shall be cited as a case example in this study, which may bring insights on why the US committed itself to the Somali crisis in 1992. Using this example, I shall evaluate, in general, the politics of humanitarian military interventions in complex emergencies. Taking the state or the government as the principal stakeholder, I shall focus on some methodological approaches to policy evaluation in order to understand what drives states to military intervention. Then, based on this evaluation, I will conclude on the extent of neutrality and impartiality of human military interventions in complex emergencies. Show more