Air power in humanitarian intervention

Kosovo and Libya in comparative perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID12699488
AuthorsArash Heydarian Pashakhanlou (0000-0002-5451-298X, Swedish Defence University, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume18
Issue1
Pages39-57
Publication date2017-12-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDefence Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1470-2436 • E-ISSN: 1743-9698
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14702436.2017.1420420
OpenAlexW2777141338
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited49

It would be hard to overstate the importance of air power in humanitarian intervention (HI) and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Yet, the role of air power in HI and R2P has been understudied. This article seeks to remedy the lack of systematic investigation. It does so by developing a framework for assessing the effectiveness of air power during military operations in HI and R2P and applies it to NATO’s air campaigns in Kosovo (Operation Allied Force) and Libya (Operation Unified Protector). Upon examination NATO is revealed to have fared better in Libya than Kosovo in positively accomplishing its stated humanitarian objectives, minimizing collateral damage and reducing the costs for the interveners, all of which are aspects considered by the model. The relative effectiveness of Operations Unified Protector is generally attributed to geography, diplomacy and technology. It is argued that better ground support, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and burden sharing are needed to enhance the utility of air power in HI and R2P even further

Collateral damage · Diplomacy · Human rights · Humanitarian intervention · Intervention (counseling · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Responsibility to Protect · Sociology · Computer Science · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · International Law and Human Rights · Law · Peacebuilding and International Security

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