Introduction

One key element of the context within which the idea of a responsibility to protect took shape was a critical weakness in the normative framework determining how sovereign states should relate to one another and to international organisations. While a number of observers welcomed the consequences of these specific actions, many others voiced unease about the principles involved and the future risk to the multilateral rules-based global order from the precedent being set of unilateral interventions. Political rule based in terror rather than citizen’s welfare, safety and security is a universal moral failing. The use of the vocabulary of humanitarianism to justify political and coercive measures – up to and including the use of force – is not a novel development. Unfortunately, the claim to be acting on humanitarian grounds was open to being abused to camouflage other self-interested geopolitical and commercial motives. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.