A Means of First Resort: Explaining "Hot Pursuit" in International Relations. (3rd July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Beehner, Lionel M.
• Is Part Of: Security studies. Volume 27:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 379
• Page End: 409
• Publication Date: 2018-07-03
• Subjects: Security, International -- Periodicals; International relations -- Periodicals; Arms control -- Periodicals; National security -- Periodicals; World politics -- 1989- -- Periodicals; Sécurité nationale -- Périodiques; Politique mondiale -- 1989- -- Périodiques; 355.0305
• DOI: 10.1080/09636412.2017.1416815
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0963-6412

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article provides a new theory of hot pursuit—the use of military force by a state against a nonstate actor across borders—in international relations. Drawing from the literature on civil-military relations, I argue that attitudes on limited use of force in peripheral areas will vary between civilian and military, with the latter preferring to treat hot pursuit as a policing operation, whereas the former will treat it as a military one. The logic of my argument is that militaries are oriented structurally and culturally to fight conventionally and against state near-peer adversaries. Threats emanating from nonstate actors, while at times perceived to be existential, require "pin-prick"-style targeted airstrikes, raids by commando forces, or policing operations along a state's periphery. I draw on an original dataset of "hot pursuit" (1975–2009) I collected and examine two recent case studies: India's hot pursuit of ethnic militants into Myanmar and Turkey's pursuit of Kurdish militants into Iraq and Syria.