PSCI 2601 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Rick Santelli, Jus Ad Bellum, Asymmetric Warfare
21 Feb 2017
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PSCI 2601 FINAL EXAM REVIEW
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Week 9: War and Security CH. 13 &14
✤ Revolution in military affairs (RMA) (p.220) – the concept became popular after the
American victory of the Gulf War in 1991. Superior technology and doctrine appeared to
give the USA an almost effortless victory. Thus, RMA suggests that future possession of
advanced military technology like weapons and space satellites would give victory to the
state that had them. Another recent example is that of the Iraq War (2003), where not
only American technology proved to be superior to that of its opponents, but also
superior operational doctrine. Computing and space technology allowed the USA to get
information about the enemy thus, they showed detailed and instant control over the
developing battle. Opponents find themselves helpless.
✤ Asymmetric warfare (p.221) – When two combatants are not symmetrical/not identical/
unequal in overall terms of military power, strategy, tactics, and economic power
resources. The topic has become a topic of great interest since the repeated attacks by
Islamic terrorist groups against the U.S. This is in contrast to symmetric warfare, where
two powers have similar military power and resources and rely on tactics that are similar
overall, differing only in details and execution. Overwhelming force such as US or Great
Britain will dominate the opponent side such as the Islamic states. The opponents with no
access to RMA technology are likely to use ‘asymmetric warfare’ to fight the war on
their own terms.
✤ Post-Westphalian War – (p. 225) Before it was Inter-state and now it is both inter and
Intra-state warfare (wars fought within the country), typical in the post-cold war period,
that is aimed neither at the sovereignty of an enemy state, nor at seizing control of the
state apparatus of the country in which it is being waged. Wars fought over identity and
ethnic issues. Now fought within the country. Example: Rwanda: Practice of genocide;
not to acquire territory but to eradicate an opposing identity. [Westphalian states – think
of traditional state sovereignty system. Post-Westphalian means the state is no longer
absolute].
✤ Contested nature of security (p.233) - Causes of war: way of peace is to have
interdependence (liberalism- trying to make states intertwine the interest of states with
each other. Example Germany and France: France invades Germany then Germany
invades France goes on for 120 years. Now the idea of war between the two is
unthinkable. They created interdependence) versus balance of power (Realist - structure
of system is to have stability. Seen to be the most efficient to secure national security).
Key approaches to resolving issues of (in) security.
1. Collective security – to prevent or limit conflict between states by suggesting that
all states agree to come to the defense of any one state that is the victim of
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PSCI 2601 FINAL EXAM REVIEW
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aggression. It will create a peaceful environment because all states will come to
the aid of the victim. This was the organizing principle of the League of Nations.
2. Common security (stepping stones) – refers to the view that the security of any
single state rests on the common security of all states in the region. France is not
secure unless Belgium is secure. Canada is not secure unless USA is secure. It’s
trying to solidify a norm of common security among everyone.
3. Co-operative security (stepping stones to the security community) – is the view
that the security of any state can only be achieved through direct cooperation with
another state. The only way for any state to achieve security is through direct
cooperation and in some aspects intervention.
4. Security communities (p.238) – A region in which a large-scale use
of violence (such as war) has become very unlikely or even unthinkable. Strong
institutions and practices that lead to a dependable expectation of peaceable
change. Despite conflicts between two states, they still work within cooperation.
Example: Canada’s security became intertwined with America’s security.
Conflicts between the US and Canada will be resolved within a peaceful manner.
NATO- states trust one another to resolve conflicts without war. The emphasis on
the structure of shared knowledge is important to constructivist thinking.
✤ Copenhagen school – Barry Buzan, Ole Waever and Jaap de Wilde.
1. Securitization theory (p240) – Argues that boundaries of security are defined by
speech acts and therefore a social construction. A synthesis of constructivist and
classical political realism in its approach to international security. While classical
approaches of security focus on the material dispositions of the threat including
distribution of power, military capabilities, and polarity, securitization examines
how a certain issue is transformed by an actor into a matter of security.
Securitization is an extreme version of politicization that enables the use of
extraordinary means in the name of security. For the securitizing act to be
successful, it must be accepted by the audience. Securitization studies aims to
understand "who securitizes, on what issues (threats), for whom (referent object),
why, with what results, and not least, under what conditions."
2. Speech act theory – comes out of social constructivism. Speech acts are simple
statements.
1. Locutionary acts: “the act of ‘saying something’”
o Example: Professor constantly talking right now. To utter
something: “This is red”
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2. Illocutionary acts: “performance of an act in saying something as opposed
to performance of an act of saying something”
o The performance of uttering something. When saying something it
is more than just the statement itself, but it’s about the
performance. How the generation of something. The thing that you
are putting in to action. What red might mean.
3. Perlocutionary acts: the “consequential effects” of speech acts.
o The change in feelings, beliefs, thoughts, and actions. What type of
effect you are trying to create in the audience by your performance.
4. Speech act theory enables us as analysts and scholars to determine the
meaning and impact that a certain event has. It shows us what was
intended and what something encompasses. For EXAMPLE: Rick
Santelli: on air editor for CNBC “the inspiration for the tea party
movement” He was talking about 9-11 : making an association between
terrorism and the debate over public sector bargaining. This example
shows that the illocutionary act : creates sense of emergency: “like a
terrorist attack” think of it as an emergency. The Perlocutionary act:
Foster sense of fear among the audience that challenges and makes you
think I can’t challenge or debate: average person and policy makers. Limit
the desire of audience to impose or critique the forms that were developed.
✤ Just war theory (not in textbook) – emerges out of Christian theory - Aquinas and
Augustine. Has become institutionalized in the UN charter. War is and cannot be just a
policy action. We shouldn’t give policy makers the permission that war is something they
should just to do. Rather it should have ethical guidelines. When can and ought should
we be able to go to war. Rather than just saying that war happens. It is part of normative
theory- how war ought to be. 2 major aspect in just war theory.
1. jus ad bellum, the right to go to war
1. War must be declared by legitimate authority (UN and UN security
council)
2. The cause of the war must be just (innocent life must be in imminent
danger and intervention must be to protect life, not just to acquire land)
3. The party declaring the war must have the right intention (Force may be
used only in a truly just cause and solely for that purpose—correcting a
suffered wrong is considered a right intention, while material gain or
maintaining economies is not/ Bush and Cheney going into War in Iraq
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Document Summary
Revolution in military affairs (rma) (p. 220) the concept became popular after the. American victory of the gulf war in 1991. Superior technology and doctrine appeared to give the usa an almost effortless victory. Thus, rma suggests that future possession of advanced military technology like weapons and space satellites would give victory to the state that had them. Another recent example is that of the iraq war (2003), where not only american technology proved to be superior to that of its opponents, but also superior operational doctrine. Computing and space technology allowed the usa to get information about the enemy thus, they showed detailed and instant control over the developing battle. Asymmetric warfare (p. 221) when two combatants are not symmetrical/not identical/ unequal in overall terms of military power, strategy, tactics, and economic power resources. The topic has become a topic of great interest since the repeated attacks by.
