Military invasion refers to the act of armed forces from one geopolitical entity entering territory controlled by another, with the intent of occupying or conquering that territory. The invasion may be the cause of a war, or it can be used as part of a strategy to end a war. It may also be a part of a campaign to establish a new government. Invasion can take place by land, sea or air.
Invasion may be done for a variety of reasons, including restoration of territory lost in the past; religious idealism; policies of national interest; pursuit of enemies; acquisition of natural resources such as water and petroleum; quelling destabilizing conflict within or between neighbors; preemption of a real or perceived future attack; and punishment for a perceived slight. More recently, a growing trend, perhaps instigated by the desire to avoid charges of imperialism, has been for invaders to euphemistically call their actions a “restoration of democracy” or other goal that is stated in beneficial terms.
Once the invasion is completed, pacification of the invaded region can be a significant challenge. Invaders can be thwarted by civilian or paramilitary resistance movements. Complete pacification can be difficult, but it is a critical element of the success of any military invasion. Opponents of invasion argue that there is no history of occupied countries ever being completely pacified, and cite continuing conflicts in Northern Ireland, Israel, Chechnya, Iraq, and elsewhere as evidence that the strategy has not been a success. Supporters of the invasion strategy counter that it is too early to call those situations failures, and that more time is needed for the invader’s goals to be accomplished.
About the Author
