U.S. Intervention Collisions

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

U.S. Interventionism: Collisions with Reality will be taught by John Bass, a three-time former U.S. Ambassador (Afghanistan (2017-20), Turkiye (2014-17) and Georgia (2009-2012), Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs and Under Secretary for Management. Ambassador Bass over the course of his career has wrestled with the prospect and consequences of major U.S. interventions initiated in the name of humanitarian relief (including R2P), economic protectionism, security and counterterrorism, or for ideological reasons. This course will assess the U.S. track record, with a focus on post-World War II interventions, and examine the different tools of statecraft– diplomacy, economic leverage, intelligence, military training and advising, and use of military force – to understand how or whether these instruments were more or less effective, or doomed to negative unintended consequences. The course also will examine why the U.S. often produced different outcomes as its rationale collided with realities on the ground. We will assess why the U.S. fails to learn from its past, repeats the same mistakes, or at least builds new mistakes off of old ones. Finally, it will assess those factors that contribute to better outcomes. We also will explore whether contemporary international political and economic dynamics are likely to impel or hinder further U.S. interventions, and how technology may change the nature of future interventions. Students will be responsible for producing a case study on a specific intervention, its justification, key decision points, and assessment of its success or failure short-term and long-term