Smart Power Thinking in Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency

Ruthlessness and Sympathy: Smart Power Thinking in Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency Keiran Hardy A thesis in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Faculty of Law November 2014 PLEASE TYPE THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: HARDY First name: KEIRAN Other name/s: ANTHONY Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: PhD School: LAW Faculty: LAW Title: RUTHLESSNESS AND SYMPATHY: SMART POWER THINKING IN COUNTER-TERRORISM AND COUNTER-INSURGENCY Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) In response to 9/11 and in the early stages of the Iraq War, Western governments relied on ‘hard’ coercive strategies for countering political violence that posed significant problems for human rights and the rule of law. Some years later, when it became clear that those coercive strategies would not provide a sustainable solution over the long-term, the same governments developed ‘soft’ policy responses to political violence which were designed to mitigate the excesses of previous years. These soft policy responses are viewed as having the capacity to improve social cohesion and reduce marginalisation, and they are designed to work alongside existing coercive measures. In combining hard and soft responses in this way, Western governments have created strategies for countering political violence that epitomise Joseph Nye's influential theory of ‘smart power’. Smart power suggests that governments can best achieve their policy objectives by supplementing hard power (coercion, threats and inducements) with soft power. Nye defines soft power as the capacity to influence behaviour through culture, ideology and institutions. This smart power model hinges on three key ideas or premises: (1) hard power and soft power are distinct, (2) soft power is morally preferable to hard power, and (3) hard power and soft power are complementary. The thesis refers collectively to these three ideas as ‘smart power thinking’. What is striking about Nye's theory is that he recognises a range of tensions, problems and complexities underlying each idea, but he largely dismisses these more complex issues in recommending that governments develop smart power strategies. This thesis critically examines smart power thinking in two separate but related fields: domestic counter-terrorism and foreign counter-insurgency. It does so through four case studies: UK counter-terrorism since 9/11, Australian counter-terrorism since 9/11, the Malayan Emergency of 1948-60 and the Iraq War during the Surge of 2007- 08. The Malayan Emergency provides an important historical case study because it gave rise to the idea that militaries can defeat insurgencies by ‘winning hearts and minds’. Through these case studies, the thesis explores the dangers and downsides of supplementing coercion with soft power. It offers recommendations as to how governments can devise more complex and nuanced smart power strategies that address the shortcomings of smart power thinking. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). …………………………………………………………… ……………………………………..……………… ……….……………………...…….… Signature Witness Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: THIS SHEET IS TO BE GLUED TO THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THE THESIS ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‘I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed ................................................................. Date................................................................. ii COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed .............................................................................. Date .............................................................................. AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT ‘I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.’ Signed .............................................................................. Date .............................................................................. iii Abstract In response to 9/11 and in the early stages of the Iraq War, Western governments relied on ‘hard’ coercive strategies for countering political violence that posed significant problems for human rights and the rule of law. Some years later, when it became clear that those coercive strategies would not provide a sustainable solution over the long-term, the same governments developed ‘soft’ policy responses to political violence which were designed to mitigate the excesses of previous years. These soft policy responses are viewed as having the capacity to improve social cohesion and reduce marginalisation, and they are designed to work alongside existing coercive measures. In combining hard and soft responses in this way, Western governments have created strategies for countering political violence that epitomise Joseph Nye's influential theory of ‘smart power’. Smart power suggests that governments can best achieve their policy objectives by supplementing hard power (coercion, threats and inducements) with soft power. Nye defines soft power as the capacity to influence behaviour through culture, ideology and institutions. This smart power model hinges on three key ideas or premises: (1) hard power and soft power are distinct, (2) soft power is morally preferable to hard power, and (3) hard power and soft power are complementary. The thesis refers collectively to these three ideas as ‘smart power thinking’. What is striking about Nye's theory is that he recognises a range of tensions, problems and complexities underlying each idea, but he largely dismisses these more complex issues in recommending that governments develop smart power strategies. iv This thesis critically examines smart power thinking in two separate but related fields: domestic counter-terrorism and foreign counter-insurgency. It does so through four case studies: UK counter-terrorism since 9/11, Australian counter-terrorism since 9/11, the Malayan Emergency of 1948-60 and the Iraq War during the Surge of 2007- 08. The Malayan Emergency provides an important historical case study because it gave rise to the idea that militaries can defeat insurgencies by ‘winning hearts and minds’. Through these case studies, the thesis explores the dangers and downsides of supplementing coercion with soft power. It offers recommendations as to how governments can devise more complex and nuanced smart power strategies that address the shortcomings of smart power thinking. v Acknowledgements When I first began reading acknowledgements pages, I assumed that the author had done all the work on his or her own, but felt obliged to mention people they knew or happened to be near them along the way, such as those in adjoining offices. I now know that this is emphatically not the case, and that it

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