Clinton's Foreign Policy and the Politics of Intervention: Cases of Ethnic Cleansing and Democratic Governance Daneta G
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Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Graduate Program in International Studies Dissertations Winter 2002 Clinton's Foreign Policy and the Politics of Intervention: Cases of Ethnic Cleansing and Democratic Governance Daneta G. Billau Old Dominion University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gpis_etds Part of the American Politics Commons, International Law Commons, and the International Relations Commons Recommended Citation Billau, Daneta G.. "Clinton's Foreign Policy and the Politics of Intervention: Cases of Ethnic Cleansing and Democratic Governance" (2002). Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), dissertation, International Studies, Old Dominion University, DOI: 10.25777/j86x-rz81 https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gpis_etds/29 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Program in International Studies at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CLINTON’S FOREIGN POLICY AND THE POLITICS OF INTERVENTION: CASES OF ETHNIC CLEANSING AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE by Daneta G. Billau B.B.A. May 1986, Roanoke College B.A. August 1994, Saint John Fisher College M.A. October 1997, University of Rochester A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Old Dominion University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY INTERNATIONAL STUDIES OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY December 2002 /Approved Simo/i jSejrfaty (Director) I Glep Sussman (Member) n1 Medvic (Member) Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT CLINTON’S FOREIGN POLICY AND THE POLITICS OF INTERVENTION: CASES OF ETHNIC CLEANSING AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE Daneta G. Billau Old Dominion University, 2002 Director: Dr. Simon Serfaty This dissertation examines the sources of U.S. President Bill Clinton’s foreign policy, with special attention to understudied political elements of intervention. The basis of this study is the Clinton Doctrine, in which Clinton opposed ethnic cleansing, and supported democratic governance worldwide. The primary research question asks to what extent and why was there a variation in Clinton’s application of his own doctrine in the specific cases of Rwanda in 1994, Haiti in 1994, and East Timor in 1999. To address this question, the following five hypotheses are posited: Hi: The more vital interests are at stake, and the closer the United States is to the crisis, the more the president will push for intervention. Conversely, the more peripheral interests are at stake, and the more distant the United States is from the crisis, the less the president will push for intervention. H2: The more a U.S. ally is likely to intervene, the less the president will intervene. Conversely, the less a U.S. ally is likely to intervene, the more the president will intervene. H3: The more the United Nations is likely to call for intervention, the more the United States is likely to support it. H4 : The more the U.S. Congress is likely to call for intervention, the more the Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. president will intervene. Conversely, the more the U.S. Congress is likely to oppose intervention, the less the president will intervene. H5 : The more the media opposes the president’s policy, the more public opinion will engage during crisis, and the more cautious the president will be regarding intervention. Conversely, the more the media endorses the president’s policy, the less public opinion will engage during crisis, and the less cautious the president will be regarding intervention. These hypotheses pertain to the five variables examined, including support for intervention from international allies, the United Nations, the U.S. Congress, U.S. public opinion and the media, and U.S. interests under the Clinton administration. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation was supported by a summer research award from the Graduate Program in International Studies at Old Dominion University, in conjunction with the Center for Regional and Global Studies, in Norfolk, Virginia. Many people gave me invaluable assistance in a variety of ways. First and foremost, I would like to thank Dr. Simon Serfaty, who always knew the right combination of encouragement and challenge to bring my work to the next level. Dr. Serfaty steadfastly read many drafts and ever so patiently helped me improve them. Dr. Glen Sussman, despite responsibilities as Chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography, always had a smile and a moment to shape this project. I thank Dr. Stephen Medvic for remaining on my committee despite moving to Pennsylvania to teach at Franklin and Marshall College. His door was always open. My appreciation goes to Dr. Joshua Behr for stepping in the ninth hour to sit in for Dr. Medvic as proxy at the dissertation defense. For unfailing assistance, support, and many long hours of challenging discussion provided to this project, I thank my colleague Eric A. Miller. My deep indebtedness goes to my friend, Dr. Jean Harris, for her example, support, and motivation throughout my entire graduate career. For their profound love, support, and encouragement throughout this project, I thank my sister Beverly Reilley and her husband Michael; without them, I would have never begun this work. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. V TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................. 1 II. LITERATURE ON FOREIGN POLICY AND INTERVENTION.............................................................................................13 PHILOSOPHY AND INTERVENTION.........................................13 THE LAW AND INTERVENTION................................................. 17 THEORY AND INTERVENTION..................................................20 THE MILITARY AND INTERVENTION.....................................25 FOREIGN POLICY AND INTERVENTION.................................29 THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE LITERATURE......................... 31 III. RESEARCH D E SIG N ....................................................................................35 THE VARIABLES............................................................................. 36 TESTING THE HYPOTHESES........................................................6 8 IV. CASE STUDY ON ETHNIC CLEANSING IN RWANDA ..................... 75 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW.............................................................. 75 U.S. ALLIES........................................................................................85 THE UNITED NATIONS................................................................. 95 THE U.S. CONGRESS.....................................................................105 AMERICAN PUBLIC OPINION AND THE M EDIA................I l l U.S. INTERESTS..............................................................................117 CONCLUDING REMARKS........................................................... 124 V. CASE STUDY ON DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE IN HAITI 126 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW............................................................ 126 U.S. ALLIES...................................................................................... 132 THE UNITED NATIONS................................................................140 THE U.S. CONGRESS.....................................................................145 AMERICAN PUBLIC OPINION AND THE MEDIA................152 U.S. INTERESTS..............................................................................157 CONCLUDING REMARKS...........................................................168 VI. CASE STUDY ON DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE IN EAST TIMOR.................................................................................................172 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW............................................................ 172 U.S. ALLIES...................................................................................... 179 THE UNITED NATIONS............................................................... 187 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Chapter Page THE U.S. CONGRESS..................................................................... 198 AMERICAN PUBLIC OPINION AND THE MEDIA............... 201 U.S. INTERESTS..............................................................................208 CONCLUDING REMARKS........................................................... 219 VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.......................................................... 222 CASE SUMMARY FINDINGS......................................................222 FINDINGS: RWANDA....................................................................224 FINDINGS: HAITI........................................................................... 230 FINDINGS: EAST TIMOR............................................................. 234 PATTERNS IN FOREIGN POLICY ACROSS THE CASES... 239 THE HYPOTHESES REVISITED................................................. 244 THE CLINTON DOCTRINE AND FOREIGN POLICY