Humanitarian Intervention and Afghanistan

Abstract

An examination of the US war in Afghanistan focuses on two aspects of the action that are relevant for debates on humanitarian intervention. The first consideration is how the US used humanitarian concerns to hold together an increasingly unstable international coalition & to win the hearts & minds of the Afghan people. The second factor is the human suffering that invariably results when a state's institutions crumble & the government is unable or unwilling to curb terrorist groups within its territory. Even when military action against terrorists is not undertaken to assist the civilian population, a sustainable peace is likely to require both military action & civilian reconstruction. An overview of justifications used to support the first phase of US military operations in Afghanistan is followed by a look at changing war aims articulated by the Bush Administration, & the impact of these shifting goals on debates over humanitarian intervention. The reality that disintegrating state institutions often provide a haven for terrorists which in turn puts populations at risk is discussed. J. Lindroth