The Precautionary Principle in International Relations : Constructing Foreign and Defense Policy in an Age of Uncertainty.
- Lewiston, New York : Edwin Mellen Press, 2012.
- 1 online resource (213 pages)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Introduction: the precautionary principle in debating the precautionary principle: a literature review -- The management of risk in international relations: -- The case for the precautionary principle -- The limits of knowledge: coping with uncertainty and ignorance -- The process of seeking alternative solutions -- Proportionality of response: dealing with the threat -- The burden of proof and decisions on war -- Conclusions: towards a changing foreign and defence -- Conclusions: a changing foreign policy? Written in response to the Bush Administration?s aggressive rhetoric previous to and during the Iraq War, this book addresses the key issues relating to Precautionary Principles on defense policies regarding pre-emptive war. Policymakers in the West seem prone to use these tactics when they feel there is certainly an outside threat to national security, and even when the threat is miniscule, after 9/11 American leaders in particular seem to err on the side of caution. Knowing the difference between a certain threat, a risky pre-emptive attack, and uncertainty could have informed public debate.
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International relations. POLITICAL SCIENCE--Globalization International relations