Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 23-05-2015 REPORT TYPEMaster's Thesis SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)Operational Arts Studies Fellowship, School of Advanced Military Studies. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S ACRONYM(S) SPONSOR/MONITOR'S REPORT NUMBER(S) DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ABSTRACTSince R2Ps inception in 2001, it has gained political momentum both domestically and internationally pushing the concept further towards a norm. However, the complex phenomenon of genocide or mass atrocity has carried on in human history to the present. Because it possesses both complexity and a rich yet dark history, it has survived many linear political solutions that seek its demise. The durability of this violent social interaction begs the question: will R2P work? This work examines the military intervention aspect of R2P through one simple question: what are the operational challenges associated with military interventions under R2P? Answering this question is accomplised through observations derived from the political, moral, and philosophical underpinnings of R2P, and a comparative case study of the Rwandan and Bosnian interventions.Ultimately, this monograph suggests that the greatest operational challenge associated with military interventions under R2P is in fact the concept itself. R2P removes the state's right to choose when faced with an intervention into a complex and uncertain environment. As such, states tend to avoid acknowledging ongoing atrocities due to the legal obligations inherent in the language of R2P. This means that a concept designed to bring primacy to genocide prevention is actually pulling political focus further away from it through risk aversion. So, is R2P operationalizing the impossible or is there another way to rid the world of the all too often occurrence of genocide and mass atrocity? SUBJECT TERMSResponsibility to Protect, Operational Art, Genocide, Humanitarian Intervention, United Nations, international relations, and current international issues.