Richard Haass Explains the New Rules of Warfare | Big Think

TL;DR

Wars of necessity are vital with no alternatives, while wars of choice have less critical interests and options for resolution.

Transcript

well generically wars of necessity are wars where i think the vital interests of the nation are at stake in which there are no viable alternatives to the use of force for example diplomacy doesn't uh look appealing or attractive or it's been shown to be unsuccessful sanctions aren't going to do the trick and living with a certain situation is deeme... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫱 Wars of necessity involve vital national interests with no alternatives to force.
• 🫱 Wars of choice have less critical stakes and alternative policies available.
• 🫱 Examples include Vietnam as a war of necessity and Kosovo as a war of choice.
• ⚾ The U.S. engaged in the Iraq War based on the belief that containment of Saddam Hussein was a viable option.
• 🇦🇫 The Obama administration increased resources in Afghanistan to combat the Taliban and assist the Afghan government.
• 🫱 The distinction between wars of necessity and choice impacts foreign policy decisions.
• 🇦🇫 The U.S. has interests in Afghanistan related to counterterrorism rather than societal quality.

Questions & Answers

Q: What distinguishes wars of necessity from wars of choice?

Wars of necessity involve vital national interests with no alternatives, while wars of choice have less critical stakes and other policy options.

Q: Can you provide examples of wars of necessity and wars of choice?

Vietnam is seen as a war of necessity, while Kosovo and Bosnia are examples of wars of choice due to their less vital interests.

Q: Why did the U.S. choose to engage in the Iraq War?

The U.S. entered the Iraq War and made it a war of choice based on assessments that containment of Saddam Hussein was a viable option.

Q: What were the key policy decisions made in Afghanistan by the Bush and Obama administrations?

The Bush administration aimed to bring democracy to Afghanistan, while the Obama administration focused on building a self-sustaining Afghan government and combating the Taliban.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Wars of necessity involve vital national interests and lack alternatives to force.

• Wars of choice have less critical stakes and alternative policies available.

• Examples include Vietnam as a war of necessity and Kosovo as a war of choice.