--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is the political change in…" description: "\"“It is the political change in international relations as well as a change in superpower fortunes which indicate that the days of successful unilateral..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/richard-connaughton-137679_change_it-is-the-political-change-in-internatio_664821.jpg" --- # It is the political change in international relations as… ![“It is the political change in international relations as well as a change in superpower fortunes which indicate that the days of successful unilateral intervention are past and that multilateral military intervention might only succeed in exceptional circumstances. Even before the changes in these…” quote by Richard Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/richard-connaughton-137679_change_it-is-the-political-change-in-internatio_664821.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/richard-connaughton-137679_change_it-is-the-political-change-in-internatio_664821.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/richard-connaughton-137679_change_it-is-the-political-change-in-internatio_664821.jpg) > ““It is the political change in international relations as well as a change in superpower fortunes which indicate that the days of successful unilateral intervention are past and that multilateral military intervention might only succeed in exceptional circumstances. Even before the changes in these relationships had occurred, both the old USSR and the USA discovered in the most dramatic way the true impotence of their power in the intra-state conflicts of Afghanistan and Vietnam respectively. Not least, the cost of unilaterally inspired intervention was horrendous. The total bill for Vietnam was $190 billion while the Soviets spent $3-4 billion for each of the years their forces were fulfilling no useful purpose in Afghanistan. The fact is that most military interventions undertaken this century should never have been embarked upon, for they were doomed for failure. The reason for this has tended to be due to misplaced faith in national capabilities as well as misappreciation of the size of the problem. By way of illustration it is appropriate first to relate international theory to the concept of military intervention, followed by a current overview essentially of the two states most traditionally involved in military intervention, the former USSR and USA.”” Richard Connaughton ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unilateral interventions often fail due to misjudged capabilities; multilateral action is rarely justified, highlighting the need for realistic policy. **In simple terms:** Unilateral action is risky and costly. Key Takeaway Prioritize realistic, multilateral strategies. Themes foreign policy military intervention realism Mood cautious analytical Type academic critical When to use this quote - policy planning - diplomacy - conflict zones Key Concepts strategic studies political science Questions to Reflect On - When is unilateral action justified? - How can nations assess true capabilities? A Different Perspective Multilateral actions can be slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Defense-policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense-policy/) [International relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international-relations/) [Interventionism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interventionism/) [Military intervention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-intervention/) [Political change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-change/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [In the minds of many Western politicians, military interventions and air strikes appear to have become legitimate policy tools since the NATO attacks on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-yakunin/in-the-minds-of-many-western-politicians-military-interventions-and/) [Vladimir Yakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-yakunin/) > [We should have learned from Desert Storm and other brief military interventions: When we go to war, we should have a clear mission, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/we-should-have-learned-from-desert-storm-and-other-brief-military/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [This experience actually means the very opposite: the largest military power was unable to stop such a sensitive attack and will be unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrich-beck/this-experience-actually-means-the-very-opposite-the-largest-military/) [Ulrich Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrich-beck/) > [Laos is the ghost of American military interventions past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/laos-is-the-ghost-of-american-military-interventions-past/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [“The strategic level is concerned with the use of military force to achieve national objectives. 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