Force and Impotent Powers: A Legal Analysis
- A look at past instances of military intervention, highlighting the role of international approval and the consequences of acting without it.
- In 1990, iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait, prompting a strong international response.
- The intervention in Kuwait is often cited as an example of a successful, internationally sanctioned military operation.
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Teh Shifting Sands of International Law: Examining Justifications for Military Intervention
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A look at past instances of military intervention, highlighting the role of international approval and the consequences of acting without it. Updated as of January 3, 2026, 20:52:11 UTC.
In 1990, iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait, prompting a strong international response. The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 678 on November 29, 1990, authorizing member states to use “all necessary means” to liberate kuwait if Iraq did not withdraw by January 15, 1991.this resolution provided the legal basis for the U.S.-led Operation desert Storm,which commenced on January 17,1991,and successfully expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait by February 28,1991. UN Security Council Resolution 678
The intervention in Kuwait is often cited as an example of a successful, internationally sanctioned military operation. The clear violation of Kuwait’s sovereignty and the explicit authorization from the UN Security Council created a strong legal and moral justification for the use of force.
The 2003 invasion of Iraq,led by the United States and the United Kingdom,occurred without explicit authorization from the UN Security council. The U.S. administration of George W. Bush argued that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and posed an imminent threat, but these claims were later proven false. The Guardian’s coverage of the WMD controversy
The lack of UN authorization and the flawed intelligence regarding WMDs substantially undermined the legitimacy of the Iraq War. Tony Blair, then Prime minister of the United Kingdom, and José María Aznar, then Prime Minister of Spain, were key allies of the U.S. in promoting the case for war, based on the disputed intelligence. The war led to prolonged instability in Iraq and remains a highly controversial event in international relations. Council on Foreign Relations backgrounder on the Iraq War
Soviet Interventions: The Warsaw Pact and Afghanistan
The Soviet Union frequently invoked the Warsaw Pact, a collective defense treaty, to justify its interventions in Eastern European countries. In 1956,Soviet forces suppressed the Hungarian Revolution,arguing that it was a counter-revolutionary threat. History.com on the Hungarian Revolution Similarly, in 1968, soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia to quell the Prague Spring reforms, citing concerns about the potential erosion of socialist principles.
Though, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 did not rely on a collective defense justification.The Soviet Union claimed it was intervening to support the pro-Soviet government in Afghanistan against mujahideen rebels,but this was widely seen as an attempt to expand Soviet influence in the region. Britannica’s entry on the Soviet-Afghan War This intervention, lacking a clear legal basis under international law, led to a decade-long conflict and contributed to the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.
Reconciling Contradictions: Selective Submission of International Law
These examples demonstrate a pattern of selective application of international law by powerful nations.when aligned with their strategic interests, interventions have been sought to be legitimized through international bodies like the UN. However, when those interests dictated action without such approval, justifications were often found – or fabricated – to proceed regardless.