Presidential Decision Making and Military Intervention in the Post–Cold War Era

Go or No-Go

Dennis N. Ricci

Despite the end of the Cold War, the frequency of U.S. military intervention has increased. While military intervention accelerated after 9/11, increasing intervention was demonstrably evident well before 2001. Presidential Decision Making and Military Intervention in the Post–Cold War Era: Go or No-Go analyzes presidential decision making regarding military intervention through a focused, structured comparison of “go” and “no-go” decisions from the four successive administrations of Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Dennis Ricci explores competing explanations for why a presidential administration will decide to intervene in one situation and not in another. Since both the situations and decision makers vary across cases, Ricci analyzes explanations for intervention by asking: Why intervene? Why use force or not? Under what conditions or circumstances are intervention decisions made?

Lexington Books

Pages: 292 • Trim: 6½ x 9

978-1-4985-9383-0 • Hardback • July 2019 • $128.00 • (£98.00)

978-1-4985-9384-7 • eBook • July 2019 • $121.50 • (£94.00)

Subjects: Political Science / American Government / Executive Branch

Presidential Decision Making and Military Intervention in the Post–Cold War Era

Go or No-Go

Hardback

eBook

Summary

Despite the end of the Cold War, the frequency of U.S. military intervention has increased. While military intervention accelerated after 9/11, increasing intervention was demonstrably evident well before 2001. Presidential Decision Making and Military Intervention in the Post–Cold War Era: Go or No-Go analyzes presidential decision making regarding military intervention through a focused, structured comparison of “go” and “no-go” decisions from the four successive administrations of Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Dennis Ricci explores competing explanations for why a presidential administration will decide to intervene in one situation and not in another. Since both the situations and decision makers vary across cases, Ricci analyzes explanations for intervention by asking: Why intervene? Why use force or not? Under what conditions or circumstances are intervention decisions made?

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 292 • Trim: 6½ x 9

978-1-4985-9383-0 • Hardback • July 2019 • $128.00 • (£98.00)

978-1-4985-9384-7 • eBook • July 2019 • $121.50 • (£94.00)

Subjects: Political Science / American Government / Executive Branch

Author

Dennis N. Ricci is senior lecturer in politics and history at Curry College.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1U.S. Military Intervention in The Post–Cold War Era

Chapter 2Bush I: Persian Gulf War—Go

Chapter 3Bush I: Bosnia—No-Go

Chapter 4Clinton: Rwanda—No-Go

Chapter 5 Clinton: Kosovo—Go

Chapter 6 Bush II: Iraq—Go

Chapter 7 Bush II: Iran—No-Go

Chapter 8Obama: Libya—Go

Chapter 9Obama: Syria—No-Go

Chapter 10Military Intervention & Presidential Decision Making