The Military Intervention in the 1990s: A new logic of war
The first problem to consider in any ‘intervention’ study lies in the definition of the word. Within the literature there are expressions of caution that: ‘A definition of “intervention” wide enough to take in all the meanings attached to the word will be masked by imprecision’. The conclusion to be drawn from this truism is of the desirability of concentrating upon one aspect within the broad spectrum of coercive intervention. Within that spectrum, which includes many diverse forms, be they diplomatic, political, financial, economic or military, this work represents a study of the last of these: military intervention.
But then, military intervention can be initiated for quite varied social (such as anti-drugs crusades), environmental, humanitarian and politicomilitary reasons. In addition, the form which military intervention may take is subject to further subdivision. One of the more obvious and arguably simpler forms of military intervention is that involving naval forces, as was apparent in the Gulf towards the end of the Iran/Iraq War. A blockade can be imposed either as an independent measure or as a part of wider measures. A clinical or surgical strike intervention is of the type which occurred against the Osiraq nuclear reactor in 1981 and which was launched unsuc-cessfully against Libya in 1986... | 
