Diplomatic Counterinsurgency: Lessons from Bosnia and Herzegovina

by Philippe Leroux-Martin

Overview

War does not stop when the armed conflict ends. This compelling eyewitness account of a key political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2007 demonstrates how interventions from foreign powers to end armed conflict can create new forms of conflict that are not only as determined and resilient, but can lead groups to challenge the power of fragile states through political and legal means. Countering such challenges is an integral but often ignored part of peace processes. How do these nonviolent wars evolve? How can the power of fragile states be challenged through nonviolent means in the aftermath of armed conflict? And what is the role of diplomacy in countering such challenges? This book offers key insights for policy makers dealing with fragile states who seek answers to such questions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781107020030
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/26/2013
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	9.25(w) x 6.30(h) x 0.98(d)

About the Author

Philippe Leroux-Martin is a Canadian lawyer who worked for the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a member of a team of legal advisors who oversaw the legal aspects of the Dayton peace agreement implementation. Mr Leroux-Martin also acted as chief legal advisor to the Police Restructuring Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina chaired by former Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens. Following his work in Sarajevo, he headed the legal department of the International Civilian Office, an organization established to supervise and coordinate Kosovo's accession to independence in 2008–9.

Table of Contents

Part I. The Battle: 1. We fired first; 2. They fire back; 3. The battle; 4. The defeat; Part II. Reflections on the Battle: 5. Non-violent wars; 6. Non-violent insurgency; 7. Diplomatic counterinsurgency; 8. The avalanche; 9. Looking forward.

Editorial Reviews

"This book makes a most useful and original contribution to one of the most pressing foreign affairs questions of our time. How can the international community be wiser and more successful in preventing war and creating peace after conflict? It should be required reading by all who aspire to act to suppress conflict and build sustainable peace" – Lord Paddy Ashdown, former High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina

“The 1995 Dayton Accords silenced the guns of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It also put in place an international administration that during the past few years has become unworkable. This book is an insiders’ account of how the Dayton process unraveled. The author also uses his Bosnia experience to provide an incisive analysis of “non-violent wars” and the important lessons to be learnt from it. It is essential reading for all interested in the recent history of the Balkans and more generally in post-violence politics.” –Justice Richard Goldstone, former prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia

"This fascinating and essential book catalogues the vital importance of diplomacy in the world today. Philippe Leroux-Martin gives us an insider's view of how Bosnia was put back together after the war." – Nicholas Burns, Harvard University

“The vicious ethnic conflicts that tore Yugoslavia apart bloodily exposed the inability of the international community to cope with an eruption of violence even in a corner of Europe. In the aftermath, the same ethnic hatreds, fueled by suspicion and duplicity, made creating a modern, civil, society out of the wreckage of war and displacement, an enormous, perhaps impossible task. Diplomatic Counterinsurgency unveils the petty politics, the behind-the-scenes confrontations and the high-stakes efforts of a handful of international advisors as Bosnians fought to re-create a nation.” – Paul Koring, Foreign Correspondent, The Globe and Mail

"This book makes a very important contribution to our understanding of what is needed to nurture peace, stability and economic prosperity in a post-conflict environment. Drawing on the experience of Bosnia, Leroux-Martin demonstrates the interdependence of diplomacy, security and economic development in the crafting of any peace agreement and the importance of ensuring that diplomatic actors, security personnel and the international financial institutions working in the realm of economic development work together to ensure that agreements are viable, sustainable and deliver a visible "peace dividend". "Must reading" for anyone engaged in fragile and conflict-affected states. " – Christine I. Wallich, former World Bank Country Director for Bosnia and Herzegovina

“I recommend this excellent book to all who seek to understand how to take greater advantage of the interaction between diplomacy and the use of armed force.” – General Sir Rupert Smith, author of The Utility of Force

" If you set about to lead a crisis management mission where state building and strengthening the rule of law are among your key tasks, make sure you read this book first." – Pieter Feith, former International Civilian Representative and European Union Special Representative for Kosovo

In his brilliant analysis of how crisis management in Bosnia and Herzegovina went off the rails, Philippe Leroux-Martin turns Clausewitz’s famous dictum that “war is a continuation of politics by other means” on its head. Leroux-Martin concludes that the capacity of international interveners to counter “non-violent wars” through diplomatic means is almost inevitably limited, and he offers a compelling alternative strategy to steer conflict. Diplomatic Counterinsurgency should be required reading for diplomats and other international crisis managers.” –Michael Haltzel, Senior Fellow, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and former advisor to U.S. Vice President (then-Senator) Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

From the Publisher