Democracy by Force: US Military Intervention in the Post-Cold War World

Since the end of the Cold War the United States has intervened militarily in a number of civil conflicts around the world, with varying degrees of success. This book examines four US-sponsored interventions (Panama, Somalia, Haiti and Bosnia), focusing on the vital nation-building efforts which have followed military action. The book seeks to provide a greater understanding of the successes and failures of US policy, to improve strategies for reconstruction, and to provide some insight into the conditions under which intervention and nation-building are likely to succeed.

"...modest and useful.... As America's civilizing mission continues, more disingenuously, into the twenty-first century, Latham's story hints at present foibles while evoking some nostalgia for the idealism of the past." Foreign Affairs

"Democracy by Force provides excellent insight into success and failure in US post-Cold War nation-building efforts.... This book provides a perspective into the intricate web between DOD and civilian agencies and is a valuable tool for the military professional who must interact in a military intervention followed by nation building." Military Review

"Von Hippel's volume is an important contribution to the literature on intervention in so-called "failed states." The work focuses on an assessment of postintervention nation-building activities--specifically US-led efforts to nurture democracy following the military operations in Panama, Somalia, Haiti, and Bosnia. Importantly, von Hippel places the analysis in the context of past US nation-building efforts." Choice