Military interventions

• Colombia:

  • (2000 - 2016)
  • Drug trade and nacro terrorism
  • During cold war, US saw some leftist groups dangerous. Those rebel groups attempted to overthrow democractic gov in Colombia
• Colombia:

  • Plan Colombia - $10b in military aid
  • Herbicide flown over crops to stop drug growth
  • Special forces trained counter rebel groups
• Colombia:

  • Rebel group FARC's influence declined
  • Cocaine still produced a lot - still biggest exporter
• Libya:

  • (2011)
  • R2P - weapons used on own population
  • State sponsored terrorism - seen with the downing of Panam flight 103 over Scotland
• Libya:

  • Tony Blair met with Gaddafi. Later, BP won rights to $900m offshore oil drilling. Ecconomic exploitation
• Libya:

  • 2011 Arab spring.
  • Air strikes on military targets and arms & air embargo enforced.
• Libya:

  • Civil war - power vacuum.
  • Rise of ISIS and other groups.
• Libya:

  • Russian backed Wagner group supporting National Army. West supports UN recognised government of unity and supplies intel & military training. PROXY WAR
• Ukraine:

  • "To free ethnic Russians"
• Ukraine:

  • Crimea - Sevastapol with warm water port. Crimea is majority Russian speaker and used rebel groups in 2014
• Ukraine:

  • US obtaining rare Earth minerals in Ukraine
• Ukraine:

  • Oil transfer deal post 2014 invasion supposed to reduce likelihood of future invasion
• Ukraine:

  • Kakhovka Dam blown up - fog of war - energy security weakened
• Saudi Arabia:

  • Western backed regional superpower against Iran
• Saudi Arabia:

  • Oil & trade. Red Sea & Suez Canal. Proxy war with Iran, but also Russia
• Saudi Arabia:

  • $350b arms deal with USA. $10b arms deal with UK in exchange for $60b invested into UK
• Saudi Arabia:

  • Interest from both parties to create 6 gen fighter jets - Tempest - with UK, Japan and Italy
• Saudi Arabia:

  • UK & US weapons used on civillian targets in Yemen
• Saudi Arabia:

  • Intelligence from Saudi Arabia regarding German December 2024 terrorist
• Afghanistan:

  • 150,000 killed and 2.7m displaced (2014)
• Syria:

  • 210,000 killled and 4m displaced (2014)
• Libya:

  • 100,000 killed and 650,000 displaced (2014)
• Ukraine:

  • 900,000 killed or wounded since war began
• Saudi Arabia:

  • $142b dollar arms deal 2025