Read PDF Can Intervention Work? (Norton Global Ethics Series)

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Can Intervention Work? (Norton Global Ethics Series) - Rory Stewart, Gerald Knaus - Google Книги

Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help. National Library Board Singapore Kids. Search Search Search Browse menu. Dino Lingo See all. Back to main collection Sign in. Norton Global Ethics Series. The book has come out in the US in August as part of the Amnesty International Global Ethics Series, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of one of the world's leading human rights organisations. It will come out in Europe in September Can we stop wars and genocides and get rid of evil dictators?

Can we then build modern, democratic states that thrive in our wake? Rory Stewart and Gerald Knaus are well placed to pose and answer these questions From rather successful interventions, defined as Bosnia and Kosovo, the authors convey an important lesson: The Wall Street Journal. Council on Foreign Relations. Yes, it can, because it did. The killing fields of Bosnia were transformed in the course of one decade in an unexpected and surprising manner. It was within the gift of outsiders not only to bring this war to a temporary end, but also to then build a peace that has since lasted for more than fifteen years.

One lesson we learned in the early s is that there is a high price, in human, moral, and strategic terms, of not attempting to intervene when this seems possible and within our power in the face of mass atrocities. At the other extreme is the "sceptical futility" school which Knaus finds too negative: Knaus concedes that a period of tough, authoritarian "liberal imperialism" may be necessary as practised by Paddy Ashdown when High Representative in Bosnia, but he clearly favours what he calls "principled incrementalism", a kind of "muddling through with a sense of purpose" in, for instance, the process of enabling displaced groups to return with a degree of grassroots organisation.

Although very interesting and chastening reading, this book might have been more effective if ideas could have been integrated into a continuous whole, rather than presented in two separate sections by different authors with some repetition. Coverage of a wider range of war zones would also have been useful to demonstrate key points.

Half autobiography, half policy critique, this essay by Rory Stewart has a few interesting anecdotes but isn't really worth buying. His arguments are mostly sound, but the framing -- 'How Rory Failed to Prevent the Surge' -- can be a little trying. Nov 10, Mick rated it liked it. I enjoyed Stewart's other books more.

Worth a read for those interested in International Relations. May 01, Matt A rated it it was ok. Intervention only seems to work out between loving parties a parent preventing a kid from touching an oven, a friend physically restraining a friend from suicide. This book asks a supremely easy question one most children know the answer to. It then tries to give a really complicated "yes", all the while desperatel Intervention only seems to work out between loving parties a parent preventing a kid from touching an oven, a friend physically restraining a friend from suicide.

It then tries to give a really complicated "yes", all the while desperately avoiding the obvious and simple "no". Feb 18, Anne Maesaka rated it liked it. I am a huge fan of Rory Stewart. He knows more about the conflict in Afghanistan than all the government officials and diplomats put together. In this book he details why most conflict interventions fail, specifically the ones in the Middle East.

I only wish our government officials would read this book and follow some of his recommendations. Every conflict has to be dealt with differently and not the cookie cutter UN mediated scripts. That being said I found the section by Gerald Knaus redundant and not particularly interesting. I felt that it repeated much of what Rory Stewart had already covered and did not really enhance the reading experience. Could have easily been left out of the book. Dec 31, Gemma rated it really liked it. This book is affected me because I've lived and worked in one of the places discussed.

It left me at times sad and ashamed and then hopeful and fired up. And finally lost and confused because - like most books of this nature - the conclusion was weak. There is no clear answer or solution to the question "can intervention work". Both authors are critical of fo This book is affected me because I've lived and worked in one of the places discussed. Both authors are critical of foreign interveners mostly because we do not take the time to get to know the societies we are "helping" - we don't learn the language or get to know the local cultures which leads to the application of theories and tactics which fail.

I recognised too much in this book and saw the problems first hand. After 10 years of war in Afghanistan, international efforts have clearly been undermined by an extreme detachment from the lives of ordinary Afghans. It made for depressing reading. The authors conclude - I believe - in making a strong case for intervention on moral grounds. More "developed" nations can not stand by for too long and see human rights being abused without being obligated to step in.

Which I still whole-heartedly agree with. But it also makes a strong case for lowering our ambition and expectations about whether or not we really can or should change a society. Not unless we are willing to invest heavily in manpower and resources and spend time getting to know the local culture. There is no magic bullet. The book left me sad. I wish I hadn't played my minor part in the mistakes made. Having said that I still believe that intervention is justified at times.

I read this on a train coming back from Washington DC, which was rather poignant given the power base it is. It's exactly in the capitols where grand theories of intervention are planned - far from the realities on the ground. Feb 16, Sam rated it it was amazing.

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I respect Rory Stewart a lot, and his descriptions and insights are "overwhelming" and sadly far too commonly observed. And then we are surprised that it does not work, or has failed,not counting the misery and destruction involved. A very impressive, and while it is blunt and shows how wrong the west in Af Whew!

A very impressive, and while it is blunt and shows how wrong the west in Afghanistan has been, it does not rule out intervention We must - stop using buzz words that are so remotly relevant to the - local culture, history, societies structuer etc. Some buzz words mentionned I liked: Feb 13, Joe Chernicoff rated it it was amazing.

Can Intervention Work?

Continuing education is a task all hopefully intelligent American undertake. That does not mean you have to attend seminars or workshops, or enroll in classes at institutions of higher learning. Books written by knowledgeable authors can be, and are, the path to higher learning. Regardless of your own knowledge, political leanings, and other relevant factors which have a tendency to lock your mind onto a given track of thought, as a wise person you understand that oftimes the real case is that Continuing education is a task all hopefully intelligent American undertake.

Regardless of your own knowledge, political leanings, and other relevant factors which have a tendency to lock your mind onto a given track of thought, as a wise person you understand that oftimes the real case is that you can always learn something which can help fine tune your thinking, and fine tune your understanding of what governments and their representatives do.

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Rory Stewart, a best selling author, and a member of Parliament, writes about intervention in Afghanistan; Gerald Knauss the founding member of the European Stability Initiative, provides a highly informative insight to the Balkan intervention. Fascinating reading from both authors. You may have understood how intervention can work without realizing it, but then the question arises, does it, in all cases? And does a successful intervention in one country translate into success in another?

This book should make you look at our ongoing interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan with a more understang eye - this a book I would expect almost everyone to appreciate. Dec 12, Clay rated it really liked it. Two insightful essays look at two interventions. The first, Afghanistan, will end badly. Soldiers and civilians come for their short tours, adding their bit to the state building template. Each new commander arrives, blames his predecessor for the problems, and promises to do better.

It might have worked if the goals had remained counter-terrorism; but the parties involved have overreached, trying to build a capable, accountable government, to protect against exaggerated dangers to the west. The Two insightful essays look at two interventions. The western version of this doesn't translate to most of rural Afghanistan.

The second example is Bosnia, where intervention has largely succeeded. But many misunderstand the reasons. It's not because of sound planning and ample resources, nor because of liberal imperialism a whip and some cash. What's worked is principled incrementalism: But Bosnia isn't a model that proves other interventions can work. Most interventions fail, particularly those trying to achieve state building under fire think Vietnam war. Jan 18, notabattlechick rated it really liked it Shelves: Though the title may suggest a boring case-study slog through modern interventions using quantitative metrics and social-science methodology, the book is far different.