Diplomatic Counterinsurgency Lessons from Bosnia and Herzegovina

War does not stop when the armed conflict ends. This compelling eyewitness account of a key political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2007 demonstrates how interventions from foreign powers to end armed conflict can create new forms of conflict that are not only as determined and resilient, but can lead groups to challenge the power of fragile states through political and legal means. Countering such challenges is an integral but often ignored part of peace processes. How do these nonviolent wars evolve? How can the power of fragile states be challenged through nonviolent means in the aftermath of armed conflict? And what is the role of diplomacy in countering such challenges? This book offers key insights for policy makers dealing with fragile states who seek answers to such questions.

Part I. The Battle: 1. We fired first; 2. They fire back; 3. The battle; 4. The defeat; Part II. Reflections on the Battle: 5. Non-violent wars; 6. Non-violent insurgency; 7. Diplomatic counterinsurgency; 8. The avalanche; 9. Looking forward.

Philippe Leroux-Martin is a Canadian lawyer who worked for the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a member of a team of legal advisors who oversaw the legal aspects of the Dayton peace agreement implementation. Mr Leroux-Martin also acted as chief legal advisor to the Police Restructuring Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina chaired by former Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens. Following his work in Sarajevo, he headed the legal department of the International Civilian Office, an organization established to supervise and coordinate Kosovo's accession to independence in 2008–9.