Peacekeeping and the Politics of Intervention

Abstract

The post-Cold War order in international politics has been characterised by the growth of intra-state and ethnic conflicts. Demands for peacekeeping and United Nations intervention have grown rapidly. Between 1988 and 1992 the United Nations created as many peacekeeping operations as it did in the entire Cold War. The United Nations has also developed a new assertiveness in the international system. In the aftermath of the Gulf War the Security Council demanded that Baghdad cease the repression of Shia communities in the south of Iraq and the Kurds in the north. In December 1992 the Security Council authorised the Secretary General and member-states to use ‘all necessary means’ to establish a secure environment for humanitarian relief in Somalia. A new United Nations relationship with NATO has also been established, with the Alliance providing enforcement and support for the world organisation in its mission in the former Republic of Yugoslavia.