Investigation of Failed States & Democratic Intervention Essay

Failed states have been an issue in human society for many years. Today there atomic number 18 a total of 177 failed states, which is an all-time high. (Haken) Failed states be not only a terrible lieu for the state itself, but for its neighboring countries as well. nigh situations are worse than others, but for the most part they all share several factors that classify them as failed states. These factors allow a severe economic decline, lack of formal authorities, deterioration of public services, social disorder, and more. (Haken) one time a country be hails classified as a failed state it is quite difficult for them to fully recover.For this to happen, financial upkeep from allies and neighboring countries is usually necessary. Obviously nobody wants to see a countrys government overrun and its citizens forced into turmoil, but that is unfortunately the way our society operates with radical martial groups such as infrastructure in existence. It has become a global pr oblem and the day may never come when there are no failed states. However, if groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Lords Resistance troops (LRA) can be eliminated then these failed states can begin to rebuild themselves and give their citizens the chance to live free, elated lives.An example of a failed state that is making headlines these days is the country of Mali, which is located in Northern Africa. The situation in Mali began over a year ago and has developed into a really serious matter. more like Libya in 2011, Malis government has been overthrown by Islamic militant groups that will do some(prenominal) it takes to spread their influence and power. (Larison)The major group behind this invasion is known as Al-Qaeda. As Al-Qaeda forces moved in on Bamako, Malis capital, a French military invasion halted them in their tracks. French and Malian forces have now teamed up against Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which is Al-Qaedas militant organization based in Mali. (Larison) The two sides are both ready to battle one some other and the situation looks to be headed towards a full-on war.AQIM forces are invading towns and villages while torturing and killing citizens in their path. They are a strong force to be reckoned with and outside help will be needed if Mali is to liberate itself of these radicals. This is where neighboring countries become involved. Countries close to Mali, such as Niger, Mauritania, and Algeria, are all looked upon to intervene and to offer aid and/or assistance to the Malians. On top of that, they are forced to live under constant timidity and uncertainty of AQIMs next move(s). Although the fall in States has no vital economic ties to Mali, some Americans feel make to intervene and offer assistance to the French, much like we did in Libya. (Larison)However, the majority of American politicians are against take an invasion because all signs point towards an ongoing war similar to those in Iraq and Afghanistan. These two coun tries experienced this instance of situation during the 2000s and Libya did as well in 2011. Libyas situation was genuinely similar to that of Malis stream one. Islamic forces invaded and took control and outside help was needed from either neighboring countries or Western forces. whatsoever the case may be, many parties were/are involved and too many unnecessary deaths have been enter already. Going forward we can only hope that the situation in Mali ends up like the ones in Iraq and Libya. The only way this can happen is if the Islamic militant forces are driven out and the country has the opportunity to once again govern itself and eventually prosper.Western intervention has been a major instalment of global warfare for the last 100 years. From World War I all the way by means of the Cold War, the coupled States has always been looked upon to give military assistance to its allies and anyone who holds great importance to our economy. almost recently weve gone to war to pr otect Israel in the Middle East and to aid France in Libya. (Traub) The United States has been involved economically in the Middle East since the late 1980s but became active militarily in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks. We were involved in warfare with Iraq for over a ecstasy and are still at war with Afghanistan. (Traub) Other notable instances of Western military intervention include our involvement in World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and many other smaller wars.The United States has clearly played a crucial role in global warfare for a very long time. One major reason for this amount of military activity is the fact that the U.S. is a democracy. Non-democracy governments typically have less(prenominal) involvement in warfare than democratic governments do. This is because autocracies operate under the discretion of less than 20 people and often times only 1 person. Also, under a democracy a presidential order can be overturned by either the citiz ens or another stolon of the government.A democratic leader would most likely order a military invasion if there is an immediate threat to his/her countrys national security or if there is a very significant amount of economic importance involved in the situation. Giving assistance to allies is in any case a common reason for entering into a war. These have been the main reasons for American involvement in global warfare over the years. America is undoubtedly a military superpower in the eye of the world and will most likely remain that way for many more years to come. whole kit and caboodle CitedHaken, Nate. Interpreting the Arab Spring and Its Effects. Fundforpeace.org. The Fund for Peace, 28 June 2012. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. . Larison, Daniel. In Mali the Domino Theory Is Real. Theamericanconservative.com. The American Conservative, 23 Jan. 2013. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. . Traub, James. Think Again Failed States. Foreign Policy Magazine, Aug. 2011. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. .