"In this profoundly important book, Josephine Jackson offers compelling and original account which breaks new ground in our understanding of the reasons why states sometimes employ military force to protect populations from atrocities and sometimes choose not to. By combining fresh theoretical thinking into national decision-making with a hitherto unseen level of empirical insight directly from key decision-makers on the international response to the crises in Libya and Syria, this volume sets a new bar in our understanding. A must read for practitioners, experts, and newcomers alike, future studies will have to take account of Jackson's immense contribution." Alex Bellamy , The University of Queensland, Australia. "Josephine Jackson's deeply researched and superbly argued account of why the West intervened in Libya yet not in Syria, in the face of an even more appalling humanitarian crisis, makes riveting reading. She makes a powerful case for why employing military force to protect civilians from atrocities - an option rarely thought through by political leaders and their advisers - is becoming more complex and difficult. We must learn the lessons captured through Jackson's brilliant insights and modify our understanding of how populations at risk of mass killing can best be helped." Field Marshal Lord David Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO DL, Chief of the Defence Staff, United Kingdom (2010-2013).
"In the face of genocide in Ukraine and war crimes in Gaza, never has 'Responsibility to Protect', the UN global political commitment to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity been more needed. Equally, never has the UN been more impotent. Dr Jackson's insights into the politics of atrocity prevention and when the international community should take appropriate collective action are masterly and should be widely read." General Sir Richard Shirreff KCB CBE, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (2011-2014). "This is a deeply researched and insightful study of the complex issues which policymakers grapple with in making decisions on using military force for humanitarian purposes. It makes skilful use of case studies to highlight the risks of intervening, but also the potentially grave consequences of failing to act." Lord Peter Ricketts GCMG, GCVO, National Security Advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron. "Jackson takes her readers on an impeccably researched and insightful journey into the political and ethical dilemmas of military intervention for humanitarian purposes, contrasting in particular intervention in Libya with the subsequent non-intervention in Syria.
The book sets out in a clear and engaging way the military, political, and diplomatic angles which make this issue so challenging for world leaders and policy makers." Sir Mark Lyall Grant GCMG, formerly Prime Minister's National Security Advisor and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations.