I've been thinking about the complexities of interactions between nation-states in a world increasingly dominated by open source warfare (Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and more) and 4GW light infantry (Hezbollah), not to mention the usual litany of genocidal impulses.
Coupled with thinking about ways of disintermediating charity (Kiva) and I had the idea of the Non-Governmental Military (NGM) - the idea being to generate funds to fund an independent and truly neutral miltary force to intervene as peace-keepers in trouble spots around the world. So rather than waiting for the UN or US to prevent confilct in places like Darfur, or Lebanon, we create an organisation that can get on the ground much faster, similar to the Red Cross. But with guns.
In fact, you could think of terrorist organisations as really being a form of disintermediated military, the nation-state itself being the entity removed from the equation. This is, in part, what makes the Hezbollah situation so difficult to grasp. But the "good guys" (yeah, I know, this is a terribly problematic term, but just deal, mmmk), haven't started leveraging the tools of the modern world very effectively.
Problems abound. I mean, where do you even start the list? But it wouldn't be me if i had an idea that was actually practicable.
5 comments:
Impractical.
Impossible.
I think a disintermediated military only works if it is ideologically driven, like hezbollah and eta.
It ~would~ be ideologically driven. An ideology dedicated to preventing conflict.
a pacifist military?
How is that a 'force', Toby?
A truly neutral Non-Governmental Military. Sounds like just the sort of outside-the-square solution our world leaders need to be considering.
As I said in mid-July when the Lebanon situation started deteriorating, the standard solutions aren't working. We need to be considering radical options.
Problems will abound, sure. But we need to get started on thinking of alternatives to the latest round of bombing children.
Bonnie is right, though. Any military force without direction could be dangerous. How about a UN Security Council-controlled ready-reaction force?
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