Quote Originally Posted by Fuchs View Post
Is the country under attack?

If not: Their defence is no topic for our security policy.
If yes:

Are they allied (by treaty!)?

If yes: Collective defence, we are all under attack.
If not:

Are we really sure they are becoming victim of a genocide?

If not: Keep an eye on the topic, all else is an issue for the UNSC.
If yes: Check whether we can do something about it.

Can we do something about it?

If not: Go back one step.
If yes: What can we do about it? (Military intervention is just on possibility.)

...

Understandable but too simplistic I suggest.

Most such decisions are driven by a mix of political and emotional motivations. There are a lot of factors which lead to a given set of circumstances being pressed home into the national psyche resulting in action being taken and those can safely be ignored.