Counter-proliferating the rogue states
President George W. Bush, in his State of the Union speech in January 2002, described Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an “axis of evil” and accused them of seeking to acquire and develop weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, biological). Further, Under Secretary of State John Bolton said that Cuba, Libya and Syria could be grouped with these as “rogue states”. In doing so, the mere alleged acquisition, without any stated intent, of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) weapons and delivery systems was designated a threat to local, regional and global stability and security, given the terror and fear they invoked. The ensuing policy agenda and process of arms control (non-proliferation) and disarmament (counter-proliferation) was based on the vulnerability management of these capabilities. This was premised on the refusal of the labelled rogue states to accept the international norms of recognized arms control practices of diplomacy, international negotiation, compliance, regulation, transparency and verification. It is upon this assumption that the crux of the argument exists of a clear case for pre-emptive or preventive armed force against rogue states. On this basis, this article will, through its analysis, settle the outstanding question of whether war against rogue states can be considered a just war, based upon historical precedents. The first of such wars against a rogue state is that waged against Iraq (2003), where the alleged Iraqi WMD capability has not yet been shown to exist. Approaching this mandates rethinking basic notions and mannerisms of international defense and security. America cannot act as world policeman indefinitely. This projects the need for an alternative to unilateral counter-proliferation by way of pre-emptive military action; namely a “Hague Style Convention on Proliferation” to reintroduce the international community of nations to a self-regulatory multi-polar approach towards arms control and disarmament. Given the options, it is clear that there is a consensus to the ends. While the means to the end might be arguable, there is Defense & Security Analysis Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 343–354, December 2004
Finally at Certain Crossroads? Three Critical Challenges to NATO
Abstract This article presents an analysis of the kinds of challenges facing NATO by conceptualizing them as crossroads that will require the organization to pause long enough to redefine the current debate about enlargement and its relations with partners, enemies, and foes alike.
International Encyclopedia of Elections
The International Encyclopedia of Elections is the first and only definitive work to survey elections in independent nations and describe the varied systems and processes in clear language understandable to any interested reader. The encyclopedia will be most useful to undergraduate and graduate students, journalists, political activists, and scholars seeking information outside their specialties or their own countries.Written in clear, concise language by 70 international scholars in the field, the volume contains more than 150 articles (from Absentee Voting to Women: Enfranchisement) ranging in length from a few hundred to several thousand words. The encyclopedia covers each of the more than 170 countries that have held direct elections or national referendums in this decade.The International Encyclopedia of Elections also features: -- Definitions of terms-- Explanations of relevance in the electoral process-- Important geographical and historical examples-- Problems and solutions in different areas of election analysis.The alphabetical presentation of entries, plus a detailed index of the full contents, points readers quickly to the information they need.Detailed Appendix Makes Comparisons EasyThe International Encyclopedia of Elections includes a detailed appendix that gives the chief features of electoral systems in nations throughout the world. The tabular presentation allows quick answers to such questions as voting age, compulsory voting or not, ballot form, number of elected seats, and type of contest (proportional, representative, or winner take all).The International Encyclopedia of Elections will be used by students and scholars for years tocome as more nations turn to democratic elections.