Post Cold War and the Moral Courage to Say No

摘要

National interests these days during the Post Cold War Era are difficult at bestto define. Idealists tend to see the world as an opportunity to project their values, whatever they may be. Realists, on the other hand, tend to see the opposite with a sort of 'let's take care of our own problems first before we crusade to right the world' type attitude. Unfortunately, the new world order does not resemble the Cold War bipolar' fish bowl anymore and the United States by default, is the world hegemon. This research paper examines the formulation of our national interests and their faulty relationship with past and present 'peace operations' in Somalia, Haiti, and Bosnia. Also, it quickly reviews Ideology vs Reality, moves to Peacekeeping vs Peace Enforcement, and finally, discusses exercising restraint or, having 'the moral courage to say no'. The central theme throughout is the lack of clear and concise national interests when using the military element of national power to intervene inside a country's borders to resolve that country's domestic and governance problems. Many thanks go out to global transparency and our technologically advanced media which have played a major role in helping to shape not only our national interests but our national policy and crisis response as well.