Policemen of the World Final Paper

Part 1

1. By 2017, the number of the United States troops on active duty overseas had been scaled down significantly. Nonetheless, having less than 200, 000 personnel abroad for the first time in half a century does not mean the role of the US as a dominant force in international role has been diminished. Looking at the history of the US military interventions since the first world war in 1917, it is imperative to note that the country’s armed forces plays a significant role in every country where they are positioned internationally: pre-emptive self-defense, fighting undemocratic regimes, battling terrorism and protecting its international allies.

Part 2

1. In the last five years, the US has deployed forces in Syria and Iraq to fight the Islamic State, an international terrorist group that not only poses a serious threat to the security of America but also that of its allies and international interest in the Middle East. In Syria, the US has also supplied weapons and military support to rebel groups fighting to overthrow the regime of the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad (Kirby, 2017). The military intervention of the US forces in the two countries are in line with the US foreign policy of intervening militarily to stop or reverse humanitarian crisis such as massacres of unarmed civilians and playing a policing role in weaker nations.

2. Since 1865, there are several historical instances when America decided to intervene in international conflicts, therefore positioning itself as the world superpower policeman. The three main of these include the entry into the World War II after an aerial attack by Japan at Pearl Harbor, the declaration of war against Saddam Hussein of Iraq in 2003 on accusations of developing weapons of mass destruction, and the intervention in Libya that overthrew strongman Col. Muamar Gaddafi for human rights violations.

3. Since World War II, the US has also taken a policing role in Kuwait in 1991, Somalia in 1993 and Bosnia in 1995 (Kenworthy, 2015).

4. Overall, it is fundamental to recognize that the US foreign policy on military interventions is fueled by the need to spread democracy, protect human rights, prevent proliferation weapons of mass destruction and police the world. Though most of the interventions are a result of treaties, wars, and failed elections in weaker countries, it is evident that the US policing role is motivated by the Washington’s quest to dominate the world, by force if necessary.

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