Pre-emptive military action and the legitimate use of force
Pre-emptive military action and the legitimate use of force

Author(s): Carl Bildt, Alexander I. Nikitin, Walter B. Slocombe, François Heisbourg
Subject(s): International Law, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Security and defense, Military policy, Studies in violence and power, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: CEPS Centre for European Policy Studies
Keywords: Military action; Legitimate use of force; security; Government; peace and conflict;
Summary/Abstract: The eleventh meeting of the European Security Forum focused on what is becoming known as the Bush doctrine. The proceedings were underpinned by three particularly penetrating papers, which should beread at leisure, as a brief summing-up will not suffice to convey their full scope. Walter Slocombe, in his oral presentation, emphasised the need to handle the prevention/pre-emption debate as distinct from the unilateralism / multilateralism discussion: although they intersect, they are analytically separate. Conversely, he tied the prevention/pre-emption debate to the specific requirements of non-proliferation, while noting that prevention/pre-emption tend to be a limited element of non-proliferation policy given the inherent difficulties of implementation: it is easier to assert apolicy of pre-emption than to execute it effectively. Mr Slocombe also underscored the elements of continuity of the US National Security Strategy(NSS) with US and international law.

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