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.
Professor Paul Rogers commentary:http://www.opendemocracy.net/paul-ro...ost-of-failure
It has nothing new or surprising and is a good summary of the position. Noteworthy as it does not discuss intervention.
davidbfpo
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