Using military forces under international auspices and democratic accountability

This article reports on a research project that deals with howtoensure democratic accountability when military forces areused under theauspices of international institutions. The internationalcommunity hasdeveloped a range of ways in which military forcescan be used. States havealso decided that in some cases militaryforces can be deployed to pacifyintra-state as well as inter-stateconflicts. States have developeda mixed system to deal withthe issues of democratic accountability. Althoughmilitary operationsare conducted under the auspices of internationalinstitutions,states maintain control over decisions to deploy their troops.Democraticcontrol and accountability have been maintained through nationalinstitutionsand procedures. International authorization, preferably by theUNSecurity Council, is important to establish internationaland domesticlegitimacy, but it is not the essential mechanismfor ensuring democraticaccountability.