War as a counter-extremism strategy

Abstract

When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, there was global outrage, condemnation, and calls for a stop to the attack. Over six months have passed and there does not seem to be an end to the conflict in sight. Of the many reasons the Russian state has given as the impetus for armed conflict, is the countering of neo-Nazi extremism, radicalization, and political violence. In this commentary piece, it will be contended that military intervention is not an effective strategy to combat extremism and that examples from the history of the dissenting west, particularly from the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, can provide support for this contention. This commentary will neither condone nor condemn either belligerent party to this conflict but appraise the strategies of deploying the military to combat extremists.