Why Do States Cooperate with Each

Other?Political, Economic, Military

Cooperation

The survival of States is Threatened…

• By the trend toward self-determination as an expression of unique cultural identity

• And the trend toward globalization, as states transfer authority to regional organizations like NAFTA, UN, NATO

United Nations

• Established after WW2 to prevent a third world war

• 49 original members, 192 by 2007• Members increased on 3 occasions- 1955,

1960, and 1990s• ’55- countries liberated from Nazi Germany• ’60- Newly independent nations in Africa• ’90s- From the breakup of

USSR/Yugoslavia, microstates

United Nations

• League of Nations 1st attempt at peacekeeping- failed

• UN can establish peacekeeping force- but relies on voluntary contributions of troops from members

• 5 permanent members of the Security Council have vetoes- US, Russia, UK France, China- during Cold War vetoes used to prevent intervention (except Korea)

United Nations

• China, France, Russia vetoed UN action to remove Saddam Hussein- 2003

• UN Peacekeepers- maintain neutrality, operate in E. Europe, Middle East, Africa

• Sometimes ineffective because states’ contribution of troops voluntary

• UN- for the first time, all states can meet and vote before resorting to war.

Regional Military Alliances

• After WW2, world divided between 2 superpowers- USA and USSR. Before, many superpowers- no one dominated

• Balance of Power- roughly equal strength between opposing alliances

• Weaker states became ally or satellite of two powers

• Acquiring an ally added power and took it away from the enemy

Era of 2 Superpowers

• Both powers used military force to control their allies

• USSR invaded Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan

• USA invaded Grenada, Dominican Republic, Panama

• Both powers established military bases in other countries to respond quickly/ maintain strength

Cuban Missile Crisis

Military Cooperation

• 2 alliances- NATO and Warsaw Pact• NATO- (North Atlantic Treaty

Organization)- US, Canada, 14 European states. France, Spain members but did not contribute troops. Goal- prevent USSR from invading Germany

• 7 members of Warsaw Pact- invaded Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Goal- prevent a third German invasion of Russia

Military Cooperation

• NATO, W. Pact now obsolete- NATO troops sharply reduced, but membership expanded into former Warsaw Pact countries. Membership provides security against Russian invasion

• W. Pact disbanded• OSCE- Organization of Security and

Cooperation in Europe- includes Russia, Goal- ending conflict in Europe

Military Cooperation

• OAS- Organization of American States- all 35 states in W. hemisphere. Goal- promotes economic, social, political, and cultural links

• Cuba a member but suspended in 1962

• AU- African Union- 53 countries- promotes economic integration of Africa. Replaced OAU which opposed Apartheid

British Commonwealth

• Includes UK and 53 other former British colonies. Goal- economic and cultural cooperation

Economic Cooperation

• Since end of Cold War in 1992, world has returned to more than 2 powers like before WW2

• 2 Key differences- 1. Most important elements of state power are now economic instead of military

• 2. Leading power is not a single state, but the EU a collection of states

European Union• AKA EEC, Common market, established in

1958- Goal- heal wounds of WW2• Main task of EU is to promote development

within member states through economic cooperation

• Has removed international barriers to trade- goods, services, and people can move freely throughout Europe

• The Euro has removed differences in prices, interest rates, and made the EU economy the wealthiest in the world

German Nation• Flashback- Germany emerged as a nation-state

in 1871- Otto von Bismarck forced German kingdoms into his Prussian dominated German Empire

• Did not get all German speaking areas of Europe

• Germany punished after WW1, lost territory, arbitrary borders- fragmented state

German Nation

• Nazi takeovers of Czechoslovakia, Poland, Austria justified as attempts to rebuild German nation-state

• After WW2, Germany carved into 4 zones- US, UK, France, USSR

• 3 zones reunited, Soviet zone became E. Germany

• 1990- E. Germany absorbed

Why has Terrorism Increased?• Terrorism- systematic use of violence by a

group in order to intimidate a population or coerce a government into granting its demands

• Violence is seen as necessary to bring attention to problems not being addressed through peaceful means

• Terrorism is applied to actions by groups rather than official governments, although some states provide support for terrorists

Terrorism

• Differs from assassination because civilians are targets, not political leaders or the military

• Terrorists consider all citizens responsible for the actions being opposed, so they are all legit targets.

• Distinguishing terrorism from political violence is difficult- is a suicide bombing a terrorist attack or an act of war? Depends on your perspective.

Terrorist Attacks

• 1988- Pan Am 103 shot down

• 1993- WTC bomb

• 1995- Oklahoma City

• 1998- US embassies in E. Africa

• 2000- USS Cole

• 2001- 9/11

American Terrorists

• Timothy McVeigh executed for Oklahoma City- motivated by FBI attack in Waco, TX

• Theodore (Ted) Kaczynski- (Unabomber) sent bombs through the mail over 17 years- academics in technology and businessmen harming the environment

Unabomber’s homemade gun

9/11

• 4 planes, 19 hijackers, 3,000 deaths

• Al-Qaeda means “the foundation”

• Bin Laden family became rich through close connections to the Saudi royal family

• Osama bin Laden used his inheritance to fund Al Qaeda

• Moved to Afghanistan in 1980s to help fight Soviets

9/11

• A 1998 fatwa, or religious decree, bin Laden argued all Muslims had a religious duty to wage a holy war (jihad) against US citizens because the US is responsible for:

• 1. Maintaining the Saud royal family as rulers of Saudi Arabia

• 2. Supporting a Jewish state of Israel

9/11

• Estimated 20,000 members, isolated autonomous cells

• Sleeper cell- blend into normal society, hold jobs, wait for orders.

• Other extremist organizations take the “brand name” Al Qaeda as a symbol of legitimacy

State Support for Terrorism

• Three levels of support:

• 1. Providing sanctuary

• 2. Supplying weapons, money, and intelligence

• 3. Planning attacks using terrorists

Libya

• Accused of sponsoring a bombing of a nightclub in Berlin

• PanAm flight 103• US bombed Libya in response• Qaddafi renounced terrorism and agreed

to provide compensation to families- 2003• 3 states have been accused by US of

supporting terrorism since 9/11- Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran

Afghanistan

• 1973- Afghan king overthrown• 1978- Gov’t established that sympathized

w/ USSR• USSR invaded after mujahedeen (holy

warriors) rebelled against gov’t (1979)• USSR withdrew in 1989, gov’t collapsed in

1992• 1995- Taliban gained control of country• They sheltered Al Qaeda

Iraq

• While most states supported Afghan invasion, few supported invasion of Iraq

• Saddam Hussein took power in ’79• 1980- 8 year war with Iran- stalemate• Nuclear reactor blown up in 1981 by Israel• 1988- 5000 Kurds die by poison gas• 1990- Iraq invades Kuwait• 1991- Desert Storm

Iraq• While almost the entire UN supported Desert

Storm, few supported US invasion in 2003 to remove Saddam Hussein

• Why? 1991 was to end an unjustified invasion. 2003 no one believed Hussein still possessed weapons of mass destruction or intended to use them.

• US assessment was based on faulty intelligence

• US assertion that Iraq had ties to Al-Qaeda was false

Iraq• Ruling Ba’ath party based on pan-Arabism- 1 Arab

nation sharing oil wealth• Philosophy not derived from religion like Al-Qaeda• So US changed justification to Saddam is a bad man

and needs to be removed- “regime change”• Other countries believe you don’t violate sovereignty

simply because you don’t like the leader• Kurds support US, Sunnis, Shi’ites oppose US

invasion

Iran

• 1979- Revolution overthrows Shah as people demanded more democracy

• Replaced by Ayatollah Khomeini who declared Iran an Islamic republic and made himself dictator

• Seized US embassy in 1979 and hels 62 Americans hostage until 1981

• Fought 8 year war w/ Iran over Shatt al-Arab, 1.5 million dead,