Removing the Government of the Host State

Abstract

The chapter explores the issue of outside military intervention in secessionist conflicts by taking a tripartite focus on the secessionists, outside interveners, and the often-ignored party in studying the matter – the host state itself. The chapter suggests that the process of instigating outside military intervention in aid of secessionists is in control of none of the three parties involved alone and that such a process can be a lengthy one, if not also a very costly one for all these parties. The chapter begins by outlining some previously untapped general patterns of outside support to various territorial contenders after World War II. It then focuses its analysis of the process of outside military intervention in two cases: Turkey’s intervention in Northern Cypris, and NATO’s intervention in Kosovo. In both cases, the chapter shows some common processes that take place in the instigation of outside military intervention: (1) the parent state’s attempt to unilaterally centralize power; (2) the minority’s withdrawal from the host state as a result; (3) the minority’s ability to sustain the withdrawal and resistance with outside help prior to outside military intervention; and (4) the final instigation of outside military intervention. It thus seems that secessionists are not just stand-by observers waiting to be “chosen” as objects by outside military interventionists that come to their aid. Instead, they play an active role in instigating outside military intervention – sustained withdrawal and violence from and against the host state by prior direct and indirect support playing a considerable role.