the collapse of collective security and the rise of new balance of power by algamar latiph
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/8/2019 The Collapse of Collective Security and the Rise of New Balance of Power by Algamar Latiph
1/7
The Collapse of Collective Security, The Rise of NewBalance of PowerBy : Algamar A. Latiph (April 2006)
AFragileWorld
ContrarytoSamuelHuntingtonsthesisofclashofcivilizations,wedidnotwitnessa
clashbetweentheWestandtheMuslimWord,atleast,onDenmarkscaricature.At
most,itcausedoutragedinthestreets,economicboycottofDanishproducts.Ratherit
isaclashwithintheWestCivilization.IntheIraqInvasionin2003,thedividedWest
respectivelyformedtheiralliancesagainstoneanotherforwarandfordiplomacy.
AntagonismoccurredbetweentheCoalitionoftheWilingledbyUnitedStatesalong
withUnitedKingdom,Spanish,Italy,Australiaanddozensstates,ononehand,againsttheFrance-Germanysmini-alliance,ontheotherhand.Theformerespouseswar
whilethelatteradvocatesdiplomacy.Theopposingcoalitionsweredrivennotforthe
loveofpeaceneitherfreedombutoftheirinsatiablecompetingmaterialandstrategic
gainsinIraq.
WhereastheWestisdividedforbeingprotectionistoftheirnationalinterests,the
ArabsandtheMuslimWorldaremoredividedbysheerjealousyorhypocrisyorby
plainselfishness.TheArabLeagueandtheOrganisationofIslamicConference,devoid
ofsecuritycomponent,havenotplayedanymajorroleinrecentworldaffairs.While
the116countriesoftheNon-AlignedNationsandthe52countriesinAfricahadexplicitlyopposedanddenouncedtheuseofmilitaryinIraq;sevenArabcountries,
SaudiArabia,Kuwait,BahrainSaudi,Jordan,UnitedArabEmirates,Qatar,andOman
joinedtheUS-ledcoalitionthatattackedtheirneighbor,Iraq.Andfurtherinvalidate
HuntingtonsclashbetweenCivilizations.
Wearenowinanerawherethemostpowerfulnation,theUS,wielditspower
uponIraq,unilaterally,inpursuitofanationalgoalandinrejectionofcollective
security.DespiteoftheconfidentandcrouchinggiantChina,Indiasraisingeconomy
andmilitarypower,Russiasreassertionofitsformerposition,andJapansincreasing
militarismarefragmentedpowerswhichhavenotraiseseriouschallengetoUSprovocationofunilateralisminIraq.ThisholdsinthecaseofFrance-Germanys
informalcoalitioninIraqWar.
TheendoftheColdWaranditsswiftshifttoglobalizationparadigmhasseemingly
broughttheworldasustainablepeace.Butacloserlookofrecentevents,acontrary
conclusionwouldsurface.WewillseeafragileanduncertainworldresultingfromUS
unilateralismanditswillingnesstoabandoncollectivesecurity.
TheBushDoctrine
-
8/8/2019 The Collapse of Collective Security and the Rise of New Balance of Power by Algamar Latiph
2/7
Pres.Bushspronouncementisnotameresoundbiteratheritfirmlyrestsona
declaredforeignpolicy.Americawillimplementitsstrategiesbyorganizing
coalitionsasbroadaspracticableofstatesableandwillingtopromoteabalanceofpowerthatfavorsfreedomthatcanaugmentpermanentinstitutions(UnitedNations
andNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganizations),Pres.Bushhaddeclared,amongothers,on
September2002.ThishasbecomeknownastheBushDoctrine.
Aftersixmonths,thetheoreticaldoctrinewasputintoaction.Whenitbecame
evidentthatnomilitaryactionwillbeauthorizedinIraq,inviewofFrancesexpected
veto,Non-PermanentMemberGermanyandSyriasnovotes andRussiaand
Chinasanticipatedabstention,USorganizedtheCoalitionoftheWillingthatinvaded
IraqinMarch2003therebyrejectingmultilateraleffortsunderthesystemof
collectivesecurityasameansofenforcingpeace.
TheBushDoctrineanditsactualapplicationhadputforwardatwo-foldforeign
policy.First,USwillseekSecurityCouncil,atfirstopportunity,onissuesaffecting
worldpeaceandsecurity,and,second,shouldnomilitaryactionisauthorized,itwill
organizeacoalitiontoperformthedutylegitimatelyvestedintheSecurityCouncil.
ATaleofTwoTraditions
CollectivesecuritywasenshrinedintheLeagueofNationsin1919uponthe
insistenceofPres.WilsonaftertheendofWorldWarI.Thissystemwasreaffirmedinthe1946CharteroftheUNwhichfor60yearshadsavedtheworldfromthebrinkof
nuclearwarintheColdWarera,italsopreventedamajorwaramongGreatPowers.In
abandoningcollectivesecurityinfurtheranceofitsnationalinterest,theUShad
returnedtoPres.TheodoreRooseveltstatecraftofspeaklouderandcarryabigstick
andbloodandironforeignpolicyadvocatedbyBismarck.
Asapplied,theDoctrineistendingtowardrealismwhichconsideredmoralityand
ethicshavenoplaceinstatesrelationswithotherstates.InhisPoliticsAmong
Nations,HansMorgenthau,opinedananarchicworldorderwhereInternational
Politics,likeallpolitics,isastruggleforpower.Whatevertheultimateaimsof
internationalpolitics,powerisalwaystheimmediateaimandthepursuitofnational
interestdeterminestheconductofthestate,itisitsend.Corollarily,Bismarcks
realpolitikwhich,accordingtoHenryKissinger,issynonymoustoCardinal
Richelieusraisondeetatisapolicythatassertsthatnationalinterestofthestate
justifiedwhatevermeanswereemployedtopursueit.Force,therefore,isjustifiedas
themeanstoattainstatesnationalgoal.
ThisiswhatPres.TheodoreRooseveltpracticedandthisispreciselywhattheBush
Doctrineembraced.Inapplication,duringtheincumbencyofPres.Roosevelt,theUS
-
8/8/2019 The Collapse of Collective Security and the Rise of New Balance of Power by Algamar Latiph
3/7
MultilateralismandUnilateralism
Whenthereisathreattopeace,theBigFiveoftheSecurityCouncil(US,UK,Russia,
France,andChina)mustbeinagreementwiththesupportofatleastfouroutofthetenNon-PermanentMemberstoauthorizetheuseofforceforthemaintenanceof
peace.Likedemocracy,theessenceofSecurityCouncilisrepresentation.Inthecaseof
theNon-PermanentMembers,theirmembershipisbasedonregionalrepresentation
fromtheSevenContinentsandaredulyelectedbytheGeneralAssemblyforaterm.
TheBigFivesrepresentation,however,emanatesfromtheirabilityandcommitment
tocarryoutpeaceowingtotheirmilitarystrength.
Collectivesecurityrecognizesnosuperiorityofanystateneithersubordinationof
interestbyoneormorestates.Theuseofforceistotallydiscardedasameansto
pursueonesnationalinterestasopposedtowhatrealpolitikadvocates.Onlythruasharedsenseofjusticeandcommoninterestbytherepresentedworldandthruthe
processofdebatesandconsensuscanamilitaryactionbecarriedout.Whenthe
SecurityCouncilauthorizedtheUS-ledGulfWarinIraq(becauseofitsaggressionin
Kuwait)in1991andin2002Afghanistan(becauseofitsAl-Qaedaandterrorist
sponsorshipof911)theuseofforcewasjustifiedandwasalegitimateexercisedfor
thepreservationofworldpeace,ruleoflawprevailed.
Unfortunately,thisisnotwhathappenedinIraqin2003asUS,inpursuitof
nationalinterest,actedunilaterallyafterorganizingtheCoalitionoftheWilling
therebydesertingthemultilateraleffortsintheSecurityCouncil.ThisisnotthefirstUSdeviationfromSecurityCouncilsconsensus,aswrotebyMerlinM.Magallonathat
ThemoreobviousdepartureofUSpolicyformtheconceptofinternationallawiswell
known.TheopeninvasionofGranada,thebombingofLibya,andtheaggression
againstNicaraguaareactsofdepravitywhichhavenoplaceinacivilizedworld.
HenryKissinger12yearsagopointedoutthat:Theweaknessofcollectivesecurity
isthattheinterestsarerarelyuniform,andthatsecurityisrarelyseamless.Members
ofageneralsystemofcollectivesecurityarethereforemorelikelytoagreeoninaction
thanonjointaction;theyeitherbeheldtogetherbyglitteringgeneralities;ormay
witnessthedefectionofthemostpowerfulmember,whofeelsthemostsecureand
thereforeleastneedsthesystem.
Unilateralismisdevoidofdemocraticvaluesofrepresentation,legitimacy,
consensus,andruleofmajoritywhicharecoreprinciplesofcollectivesecurity.After
theendoftheColdWar,wedonotfeelathreatofwarofgreatmagnitudeamong
nations.Infact60yearswasthelongestpeacetheEuropehaseverexperiencedsince
the16th
century.Ithasbeeninstrumentalinthemaintenanceoftranquilityinthe
worldbutnowitsefficacyhasbeenreceding.
-
8/8/2019 The Collapse of Collective Security and the Rise of New Balance of Power by Algamar Latiph
4/7
overthekingsofEuropean.Thenation-statesbecametheactiveactorsintheworld
affairs.Whatfollowedwereformationofalliancesamongandbetweennation-states
inEuropeforself-preservationandtocreateanequilibriumofforcesagainstarisinga
hegemonicneighbor.
In17th
to18th
centuryalone,UKhadorganizedatleastfouralliancesagainstFrance
whichthenwasthedomineeringpowerintheContinentofEurope.Thelastonewas
duringthereignofKingWilliamIII,wheretheGrandAlliance(UK,Spain,Sweden,
Savoy,Saxony,Austria,andTheNetherlands)successfullyquashedFrancesKing
LouiseXIV.Thisbalanceofpowerwasreaffirmedin1814bytheQuadrupleAlliance
(UK,Prussia,Russia,andAustria)todefeatNapoleonBonapartesadvancingarmies.
Balanceofpowerischaracterizedbylackofpermanencyofalliancessincetheywere
formedatmomentsnationalinterest.IntheCrimeanWarin1852,FranceandUK
werealliesagainstRussiabut30yearsbeforethatFrancewasatwarwithUK,RussiaasUKsallyduringNapoleonicWarsin1814.
Inthosecenturies,seriesofallianceswereformed,thus,creatingabalanceofpower
ondifferentoccasionsandbyvariousstatessincenationalinterestshadneverbeen
uniform.Therewerenofixeddemarcationofterritorialboundariesamongstatesas
theyconstantlyshrinkorexpandthroughbloodywars.Everystateisapreybythe
predatorymilitarymightofitsneighboringstates,aDarwinismnormswheresurvival
ofthefittestandeliminationoftheunfitistheconductofstatescompetinginterests.
Butwhysummonachaoticinternationalsysteminaworldwhichisontheapexof
peaceandeconomicharmony,whereboundariesamongstatesaremoreorlessattainedtheirpermanency,andwherealmostallstatesareestablishedbythe
sovereignpeople.
TheNewBalanceofPower
ThesystemofbalanceofpowerwasfirstrecognizedintheUtrechtTreatyin1713
thatendedthe12-yearWaronSpanishSuccession.UtrechtagreedToconfirmthe
peaceandtranquilityoftheChristianworldtoajustequilibriumofpowerwhilethe
BushDoctrineputforwardabalanceofpowerthatfavorsfreedom.Almostacentury
ago,Pres.WilsonexpressedhisabhorrencetothissystemdeclaringthatTheremustbenotabalanceofpower,butcommunityofpower;nororganizedrivalries,butan
organizedcommonpeace.WhiletheBushDoctrinespretextistopromote
democracy;Utrechtwasagenuineaffirmationofmaintainingpeace.Peculiarly,
UtrechtendedawarwhiletheBushDoctrinewasdeclaredasapreludetoawar(Iraq
wasinvadedbytheCoalitionoftheWilling6monthsafterthedeclarationoftheBush
Doctrine).
Theonlygratuitythatcanbesaidofbalanceofpoweristhatitprevented
dominationofasin le owerinEuro e France UK Austria andRussia .At resent
-
8/8/2019 The Collapse of Collective Security and the Rise of New Balance of Power by Algamar Latiph
5/7
coalitionistomakeitappearthattheIraqWarisamultilateraleffortsofvarious
statesandtoimbibeitsmilitaryactionwithdegreeoflegitimacy.Thatitissupported
by40countriesalbeitconsiderablyminoritycomparedtothemorethan200
countriesofUN.Curiously,however,astudyentitled CoalitionoftheWillingorCoalitionoftheCoerced?releasedonFebruary26,2003bytheInstituteofPolicy
StudiesbasedinWashingtonhasfoundthattherationaleofmostofthecountrieswho
joinedthecoalition,includingthePhilippines,wasbecauseoftheirdependencyforUS
protection,economic,developmentalandmilitaryaids.Inthislight,itwouldappear
thatthecoalitionisameresuperficialasitisnotconsistsofwillingstatesbut
compelledstates.
Insum,thebalanceofpowermentionedintheBushDoctrineandasappliedinthe
IraqInvasionin2003isnotthebalanceofpoweroftheOldofEurope.Wedidnotsee
conglomerationofopposingforces,ratherthecoalitionhadbeenutilizedasthelegitimizingentitythatseekstorivaltheSecurityCouncil.Thenewbalanceofpower
isanorganizedrivalrynotofpowersbutoflegitimacy.
TheSecurityCouncilistheinstitutionthatlegitimizetheuseofforceagainstother
statestowhichtheUSmustsubmitshouldituseforceuponotherstateforthe
preservationandespeciallyfortheenforcementofitsResolution.Thisisits
internationalobligationbutseenbyitasanimpositionandalimitationofitsfreedom
toact,freedomtopursueitsnationalinterest.Thismightbethecauseofits
abandonmentofSecurityCouncil.
Ontheotherhand,anotherconclusioncanbehad.Onthetheorysubmittedby
KennethK.WaltzinhisTheoryofInternationalPolitics(1979)wherehewrotethat
inbalanceofpowertheStatesareregardedasunitaryactorswho,ataminimum,
seektheirpreservationand,atamaximum,driveforuniversaldomination.By
relatingWaltzsthesiswecoulddeducedthatUSadoptionofbalanceofpoweris
manifestlynotmotivatedbyself-preservationbut provokedbyitsdrivefor
universaldomination.
TheLoomingConfrontation
TheIraqInvasionin2003mightnotbethelastunilateralaction.Thenuclearrow
betweenIranandUSisatensionthatmightendupinmilitaryconfrontation.USis
firmthatitwillnotallowIrantopursueitsnuclearambitionarguingthatitisathreat
toitssecurity.However,eitherbydesignornaturalcause,Iranisnowsharingits
boundarieswithhostileterritories:Iraqandontheeast,Afghanistan,bothunderUSs
effectivemilitarycontrol.Despiteoftheseodds,however,Iranhasnotindicatedthatit
willbackdown.
Whileinvasionisremote,militarystrikeisprobable.InfactwhenIranannounced
-
8/8/2019 The Collapse of Collective Security and the Rise of New Balance of Power by Algamar Latiph
6/7
theArabLeagueandtheOICwouldremainedthesameinutileentityonthisissue
situatedwithintheirbackyards.Itwillsurelydestabilizetheregionandmightpossibly
involveamilitarytensionwithintheMiddleEastcountries.Wedonotsee,however,
thatitwillonlyaffecttheregionalsecurityoftheMiddleEast.Itwillscaretheglobalizeworldonitsinsatiableoilneeds.Asof2000,Iranwithits813.3trillioncubic
feetofnaturalgasreserveisthelargestintheregionandfifthwithitsreserveofcrude
oilof89.7billionbarrels.
LockesSocialContract,HobbesStateofNature
ItisironicalthatwhileSocialContractofJohnLockeisfullyacceptedbytheWest
asthefoundationofdemocracywhereequalityandlibertyareprotectedand
promotedthereisnocorrespondingSocialContractamongnationswhereequality
andjusticeareupheldandcompulsory.TheUN,thruSecurityCouncil,couldhavebeenthebodytoprovideteethforenforcementofInternationalLaw.Theessenceoflawis
thatitmustbeenforcedobjectively,impartiallyandequallyinordertoattainthe
justiceimbuedinthelawbutwhichtheSecurityCouncilisincapableofapplyingasit
isstillsuccumbedtotheruleofmightnottotheruleoflaw.
SovietssubjugationofAfghanistan,USinvasionofGranada,UKinvasionof
Falklands,IsraeldisregardofnumerousSecurityCouncilsResolutions,amongothers,
hadleftUNsittingatbay,irrelevant.UNinherentlimitationhas recentlybecome
patentthatUSsbigandhardstickisstrongerthanthedemocraticcollective
security.ThisfurthershowedUNsirrelevanceintheworldpeacebecauseUS,alone,canaddressinternationalconflictbasedonitsstandard,underitstermsandalwayson
thebasisofitsnationalinterest.
IftheSecurityCouncilisnotcapableofapplyingitsCharterjustly,thenthereisno
ruleoflawafterallasjusticeisnowdefinedbythosewhohavepowers.Consequently,
ourchaoticworldfallswithinThomasHobbessdescriptionofstateofnaturea
situationwhereThenotionsofrightandwrong,justiceandinjusticehavethereno
place.Wherethereisnocommonpower,thereisnolaw,wherenolaw,nojustice.
Force,andfraud,areinwarthecardinalvirtues.AtleastHobbeshasrecognizedthat
commonpowercouldtemperthemisuseandabuseofpower.Necessarily,the
collapseofcommonpower(collectivesecurity)vestedintheSecurityCouncilhas
putforceandfraudinthewordsofHobbesthecardinalvirtues.
TheUSParadoxofIdealismandRealism
Wilsoniantraditionseekstopromoteandpursuetwokindsofruleoflaw:intrastate
andinter-state.Thefirstistopromoteruleoflawwithinstateand,second,topromote
ruleoflawamongnationsbyvirtueofcollectivesecurity.Bothareinadherenceto
democraticpreceptsofrepresentation,consensus,andequality.Bothdespiseanarchy
-
8/8/2019 The Collapse of Collective Security and the Rise of New Balance of Power by Algamar Latiph
7/7
hasnoplaceintherelativelypeacefulworld,thisisthetimewheretheUShasto
reaffirmandreassertitsleadershipundertheWilsoniantraditionthatpowerwould
yieldtomoralityandtheforceofarmstothedictatesofpublicopinion.
Thereexistthreatstothehumankind.Theglobalwarmingwilldecayour
environment,terrorismandpandemicbroughtusterriblefears,povertythatkills
millions,amongothers,areissuesthatrequiresstrongcooperationamongthe
communityofnations.Unilateralismisasystemthatwillfurthersplitthespiritof
cooperationandfurtherdistanceharmoniousrelationswithintheinternational
community.Unfortunately,thisisnotthecase,atleastatpresent.The IBM
advertisementcanbestdescribedUSforeignpolicy,thus,Imnotlikeeverybody
elseunusual,unrivalled,unexpected,uncommon,orthemovieMatildawhere
DannydeVitothreatenedhisdaughterImbig,youresmall;Imsmart,youredumb;
andyoucannotdoanythingaboutit.