The effectiveness of NATO's humanitarian intervention in the cases of Kosovo (1999) and Libya (2011)

This thesis examines the effectiveness of humanitarian intervention in the cases of NATO’s air campaign in Kosovo which lasted from March 24, 1999 – June 10, 1999, and NATO’s air campaign in Libya, which started on March 23, 2001 and continued to October 31, 2011. The challenges of each intervention were similar, with the victims of war in each case needing to feel secure in their homes, while at the same time requiring aid in areas suffering from extended periods of conflict. The debate whether humanitarian interventions are effective in resolving conflict and saving lives and are not purely based on national interest of intervening states, triggered the research question of this thesis: Was NATO’s humanitarian military intervention effective in the cases of Kosovo (1999) and Libya (2011) in terms of achieving short and long-term humanitarian benefits? This question will be answered by looking at each scenario through the focus on the short and long-term effectiveness of NATO’s...Show moreThis thesis examines the effectiveness of humanitarian intervention in the cases of NATO’s air campaign in Kosovo which lasted from March 24, 1999 – June 10, 1999, and NATO’s air campaign in Libya, which started on March 23, 2001 and continued to October 31, 2011. The challenges of each intervention were similar, with the victims of war in each case needing to feel secure in their homes, while at the same time requiring aid in areas suffering from extended periods of conflict. The debate whether humanitarian interventions are effective in resolving conflict and saving lives and are not purely based on national interest of intervening states, triggered the research question of this thesis: Was NATO’s humanitarian military intervention effective in the cases of Kosovo (1999) and Libya (2011) in terms of achieving short and long-term humanitarian benefits? This question will be answered by looking at each scenario through the focus on the short and long-term effectiveness of NATO’s missions. Each case study is analysed with regards to the number of saved lives as a result of intervention as an indicator of short-term effectiveness, and with regards of the elimination of the political cause of violence as the long-term factor. The results of this research aims to determine the effectiveness of NATO’s future missions and to determine whether it is the right approach to undertake in the future.Show less

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The effectiveness of NATO's humanitarian intervention in the cases of Kosovo (1999) and Libya (2011)