Politics of a Crisis: The U.S. Decision to Intervene in the Libyan Civil War
Primary Faculty Mentor’s Name
Darin Van Tassell
Proposal Track
Student
Session Format
Paper Presentation
Abstract
United States foreign policy has far reaching implications for the entire world. International conflicts, the world economy, and domestic affairs are all subject to the effects of the United States’ foreign political actions. With so many people and their welfare dependent on the policies pursued by the United States, it becomes important to understand how these decisions are made and what politics are behind said decisions. This paper analyzes the political decision making process of the United States’ foreign policy with the case study of the United States’ support of NATO airstrikes on Libya in 2011. The Libyan revolution beginning in 2011 was part of the larger trend of revolutionary movements called the Arab Spring and the U.S. reaction to this would set precedent for events that are being seen today. The paper uses interviews of those who participated in the creation of the policy, statements and memos from government institutions, sources on the policy making process, and media opinions to breakdown the creation of the policy to attack Libya. The paper first lays down the context of the U.S. situation and Libya both historically and also with the climate of the time. From the U.S. Marine Corps landing in Tripoli in the early 1800s to the Arab Spring, there is an important history to understand. Second, the paper examines what government institutions participated and what they contributed to the policy to bomb Libya; Foreign policy is not under any one department or government branch and often different policies come from different parts of government. This includes the president, State Department, intelligence agencies, and more. Third, it looks into how the public and the media shaped the decision. Lastly, there is a breakdown of the impacts of the policy, reactions to the policy, and a comparison to the decision making of other policies.
Keywords
Foreign policy, Libya
Location
Room 2911
Presentation Year
2014
Start Date
11-15-2014 1:45 PM
End Date
11-15-2014 2:45 PM
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Reynolds, Thomas G. V, "Politics of a Crisis: The U.S. Decision to Intervene in the Libyan Civil War" (2014). Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (2014-2015). 90.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gurc/2014/2014/90
Politics of a Crisis: The U.S. Decision to Intervene in the Libyan Civil War
Room 2911
United States foreign policy has far reaching implications for the entire world. International conflicts, the world economy, and domestic affairs are all subject to the effects of the United States’ foreign political actions. With so many people and their welfare dependent on the policies pursued by the United States, it becomes important to understand how these decisions are made and what politics are behind said decisions. This paper analyzes the political decision making process of the United States’ foreign policy with the case study of the United States’ support of NATO airstrikes on Libya in 2011. The Libyan revolution beginning in 2011 was part of the larger trend of revolutionary movements called the Arab Spring and the U.S. reaction to this would set precedent for events that are being seen today. The paper uses interviews of those who participated in the creation of the policy, statements and memos from government institutions, sources on the policy making process, and media opinions to breakdown the creation of the policy to attack Libya. The paper first lays down the context of the U.S. situation and Libya both historically and also with the climate of the time. From the U.S. Marine Corps landing in Tripoli in the early 1800s to the Arab Spring, there is an important history to understand. Second, the paper examines what government institutions participated and what they contributed to the policy to bomb Libya; Foreign policy is not under any one department or government branch and often different policies come from different parts of government. This includes the president, State Department, intelligence agencies, and more. Third, it looks into how the public and the media shaped the decision. Lastly, there is a breakdown of the impacts of the policy, reactions to the policy, and a comparison to the decision making of other policies.
