Overview

When President George W. Bush launched an invasion of Iraq in March of 2003, he did so without the explicit approval of the Security Council. His father's administration, by contrast, carefully funneled statecraft through the United Nations and achieved Council authorization for the U.S.-led Gulf War in 1991. The history of American policy toward Iraq displays considerable variation in the extent to which policies were conducted through the UN and other international organizations. In Channels of Power, Alexander Thompson surveys U.S. policy toward Iraq, starting with the Gulf War, continuing through the interwar years of sanctions and coercive disarmament, and concluding with the 2003 invasion and its long aftermath. He offers a framework for understanding why powerful states often work through international organizations when conducting coercive policies-and why they sometimes choose instead to work alone or with ad hoc coalitions. The conventional wisdom holds that because having legitimacy for their actions is important for normative reasons, states seek multilateral approval. Channels of Power offers a rationalist alternative to these standard legitimation arguments, one based on the notion of strategic information transmission: When state actions are endorsed by an independent organization, this sends politically crucial information to the world community, both leaders and their publics, and results in greater international support.

Full Product Details

Author:   Alexander Thompson
Publisher:   Cornell University Press
Imprint:   Cornell University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.907kg
ISBN:  

9780801447181

ISBN 10:   0801447186
Pages:   280
Publication Date:   06 March 2009
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.

Table of Contents

"PrefaceChapter 1. The Power of International Organizations IOs and Information Transmission Statecraft and IOs The United Nations and the Legitimation of Force Case Selection and OutlineChapter 2. Coercion, Institutions, and Information The Politics and Costs of Coercion Institutions and Information Coercion through IOs Two Pathways of Information Transmission Institutional Variation and the Security Council Alternative Arguments Observable Implications and Research DesignChapter 3. The Security Council in the Gulf War, 1990–1991 Background and Events Choosing (How) to Intervene Signaling Intentions to State Leaders Transmitting Policy Information to Foreign Publics Assessing the Role of LegitimacyChapter 4. Coercive Disarmament: The Interwar Years Channeling Power between the Wars The Postwar Honeymoon Cracks in the Coalition The Decline of UN Inspections Desert Fox and Its Aftermath The Evolution of U.S. Coercive Strategy Reviving Inspections: A Divided CouncilChapter 5. The Second Iraq War: Down the UN Path, 2002–2003 From September 11 to Iraq Appealing to the General Assembly Back to the Council: Resolution 1441 Renewed Inspections A Second Resolution? Explaining U.S. MotivationsChapter 6. The Second Iraq War: Bypassing the Security Council Was It a ""Unilateral"" Policy? The Costs of Working through the UN Sensitivity to IO Constraints Regional Options: Constrained Forum Shopping International Reactions to Iraq 2003 The International Political Costs of the WarChapter 7. Conclusion: How the Security Council Matters Multilateralism in U.S. Foreign Policy Beyond the Superpower The Security Council as a Political InstitutionAppendix: Selected Security Council ResolutionsBibliography Index"

Reviews

Channels of Power makes many outstanding contributions to the field of international relations. Alex Thompson furthers our theoretical understanding of why and when states consult with international institutions. The book also offers a compelling and sharp empirical narrative linking U.S. policy toward Iraq from the first Gulf War through the aftermath of the second U.S. invasion. Finally, Thompson's work elucidates important lessons for the continuing debate between unilateralism and multilateralism in American foreign policy. Jon Pevehouse, University of Chicago

Channels of Power makes a major contribution by showing how international organizations provide informative signals to states with respect to coercive foreign policy actions. It deserves the attention of all students of world politics. Robert O. Keohane, Professor of International Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs, Princeton University Channels of Power makes many outstanding contributions to the field of international relations. Alex Thompson furthers our theoretical understanding of why and when states consult with international institutions. The book also offers a compelling and sharp empirical narrative linking U.S. policy toward Iraq from the first Gulf War through the aftermath of the second U.S. invasion. Finally, Thompson's work elucidates important lessons for the continuing debate between unilateralism and multilateralism in American foreign policy. Jon Pevehouse, University of Chicago Alexander Thompson has crafted an original and penetrating analysis of the UN Security Council, of U.S. policy toward Iraq, and of the informational role of international organizations more generally. Much of the political science literature regards IOs as sources of information, yet remains vague about what information they might provide or under what conditions they can do so effectively. Thompson argues that neutral IOs provide information about the intentions and likely effects of states who are contemplating the use of military force. In his novel vision, IOs can be both neutral and facilitators of coercion. This book should be read by all scholars of international institutions as well as those interested in the Security Council and in recent U.S. foreign policy. Lisa Martin, author of Democratic Commitments: Legislatures and International Cooperation Channels of Power addresses an important and fascinating issue using an innovative argument, careful theoretical reasoning, and sound empirical evidence. Alexander Thompson's book will stand out as a particularly valuable contribution to the literature on the Security Council, Iraq, and U.S. statecraft. Given the clarity and accessibility of Thompson's argument and evidence, Channels of Power should find its way into undergraduate classrooms. Darren Hawkins, Brigham Young University Thompson's books adds to the small but growing body of work addressing why powerful countries would channel foreign policies through IOs. A major strength of Channels of Power is that it pays serious attention to theory development, generating falsifiable hypotheses about state behavior and international reaction to activity at the Security Council. Channels of Power is very well written and researched and its an important contribution to the literature on international organizations and security policy. Terrence Chapman, Political Science Quarterly, Winter 2009 2010

Author Information

Alexander Thompson is Associate Professor of Political Science at The Ohio State University.

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