Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the international system in place since the end of World War II has been struggling to find answers to new problems and questions of international responsibility. In his response to "The Politics of Rescue," Winston argues that the real dilemma facing the international system is not a question of what form intervention will take, but rather a question of the existence of political will to act on the humanitarian impulse. While acknowledging the political ramifications of intervention, he argues that once a state can no longer care for its people, the responsibility falls to the international community, with the goal of intervention being the restoration of state capacity. Winston calls for the establishment of the international equivalent of a 911 emergency call number to provide an institutionalized response to such crises, with the risks and costs shared equally among the international community.
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