What are the objectives of military alliances? Give an example of a functioning military alliance with its specific objectives.
The objectives of military alliances are to deter or defend against military attack. Countries form alliances to increase their effective power relative to another country or alliance. Alliances are based on national interests and involve a clear identification of who constitutes the threat.
An example from the context is the US backing Islamic militants in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. The specific objective was to counter Soviet influence and expansion. However, this demonstrates that alliances can change when national interests change, as the US later attacked the same groups after Al Qaeda launched terrorist strikes on 11 September 2001.
Explanation
The textbook defines an alliance as 'a coalition of states that coordinate their actions to deter or defend against military attack.' The key objectives mentioned are: (1) deterring or defending against military attack, (2) increasing effective power relative to another country or alliance, and (3) serving national interests based on clear threat identification. The US-Islamic militants example illustrates how alliances function based on national interests and can shift when those interests change.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify the definition and objectives of alliances from the context - deter/defend against attack, increase effective power, serve national interests
Step 2: Extract the example of US backing Islamic militants against Soviet Union from the context
Step 3: Explain how this example demonstrates alliance objectives and the role of national interests