2025/09/01 by Maria‐Louise Clausen · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Global Peace and Security Dynamics #Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East #Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/19436149.2025.2546163
openalex publication_date 2025/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/15
This article introduces the concept of ‘vicarious impunity’ to describe how Western interveners, particularly through Security Force Assistance (SFA), distance themselves from the consequences of violence. By leveraging local partners, Western actors not only reduce their physical involvement but also shift responsibility for violence onto those partners. The term ‘vicarious impunity’ encapsulates this dual dynamic: while Western interveners claim to support peace and stability, they simultaneously absolve themselves of accountability for the violent outcomes of their interventions. Using the case of the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI), this article examines how othering practices facilitate this phenomenon, enabling Western actors to maintain moral authority while distancing themselves from the realities of violence in Iraq. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews conducted in Iraq, the article examines how path dependencies from earlier interventions, particularly the 2003 US-led invasion, continue to shape the operational and moral framework of NMI. This analysis contributes to the SFA literature by linking these practices to broader postcolonial dynamics and demonstrating how Western powers seek to sustain their strategic influence through indirect means. The concept of vicarious impunity thus offers a new lens to understand the complex intersections between security assistance, intervention, and accountability.