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Accession Number:
ADA280621
Title:
Hershey Bar Diplomacy: The Employment of Military Forces in Humanitarian Operations
Descriptive Note:
Final rept.
Corporate Author:
AIR WAR COLL MAXWELL AFB AL
Report Date:
1994-04-01
Pagination or Media Count:
29.0
Abstract:
A superpower is judged not only by its deeds, but also by the worlds perception of them. Politicians and national leaders have understood this for centuries and have sought to manipulate images and perceptions to their own advantage. In international affair this usually has been done in a coercive way, as one government tries to compel or deter another. The literature on this aspect of diplomacy and national security policy is enormous. Less attention ahs been paid to the more subtle ways in which non-coercive actions can advance the national interest. It is to the United States advantage that the other nations of the world see the US as the only remaining superpower and that it is ready to use its power for unselfish purpose, such as eradicating hunger and suffering. This perception makes other nations more willing to accept American leadership across the board. Effective at the international level, this strategy of being or appearing to be a benevolent big brother also meet internal psychological objectives, because it bolster domestic support for the government and its policies. This paper will examine this use of American military forces and its implications by focusing on the militarys role in four recent humanitarian relief operations Provide Comfort in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq, Provide Hope in the former Soviet Union, Restore Hope in Somalia, and Provide Promise in Bosnia-Hercegovina
Distribution Statement:
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
