Humanitarian Intervention: Somalia, Prof. Theo Farrell King’s War Studies
Humanitarian Interventions? India in East Pakistan (1971) Tanzania in Uganda (1978) Vietnam in Cambodia (1978)
Post CW interventions Northern Iraq (1991) Somalia ( ) Bosnia ( ) Rwanda (1994) Haiti ( ) Kosovo (1999) East Timor (1999)
Impact of end of CW Created new opportunities and imperatives New view of 3 rd world conflict Growing public pressure for HI Unlocked the UNSC
UN peacekeeping budget 1988: $230 m 1990s: $800-1,600 m
Post CW interventions Northern Iraq (1991) Somalia ( ) Bosnia ( ) Rwanda (1994) Haiti ( ) Kosovo (1999) East Timor (1999)
Somalia: the essentials Two missions (i) UNITAF: Dec 92 – May 93 (ii) UNOSOM: up to Feb Three UNSC resolutions 794: UNITAF mandate 814: UNOSOM II mandate 837: Declaration of war
Somalia on the map
Background: Somalia Cold War legacy: economic ruin and country awash with weapons 1991: USC overthrow Siad Barre 1992: Somali state collapses
1992: Death of Somalia USC splits in warring factions (a) President Ali Mahdi (b) Gen. M. Farah Aideed Growing humanitarian crisis: war and famine UN agencies flee Somalia Deployment of UNOSOM (Aug)
Somalia: war and famine
1992: Death of Somalia USC splits in warring factions (a) President Ali Mahdi (b) Gen. M. Farah Aideed Growing humanitarian crisis: war and famine UN agencies flee Somalia Deployment of UNOSOM (Aug)
1991: brave new world The Gulf War (w/Soviet help) Kurdistan Collapse of Soviet Union New BOP and emerging normative order
Agenda for Peace (Jan. 1992) Peace-keeping is the deployment of a United Nations presence in the field, hitherto with the consent of all the parties concerned, normally involving United Nations military and/or police personnel and frequently civilians as well.
Pressure builds in DC Ismat Kittani report to UNSC (25 Nov): of food aid not reaching the hungry CARE USA leads alliance of INGOs calling for intervention Debate within deputies group: “our helicopters don’t work in deserts.”
NGOs divided For: CARE USA and Oxfam-USA Against: MSF and Save the Children Unsure: Concern Worldwide and Oxfam-UK
Pressure builds in DC Ismat Kittani report to UNSC (25 Nov): of food aid not reaching the hungry CARE USA leads alliance of INGOs calling for intervention Debate within deputies group: “our helicopters don’t work in deserts.”
What’s this then…?
Operation Restore Hope VCJCS says “yes” 3 Dec: UNSCR 794 9 Dec: Marines hit the beaches Why? (a) public opinion (b) Clinton and Bosnia
Weinberger-Powell Doctrine Clear (doable) goals Success likely Decisive and overwhelming force Clear (quick) exit strategy
UNITAF 37,000 strong, over 20 nations 28,000 = US forces (10 Mt Div and 1 MEF) Also large and capable contingents from France (2800), Canada (2200), Italy (1300) and Belgium.
UNITAF: rapid deployment Robert Oakley clears the path 9-16 Dec: secured Mogadishu, Kismayo, Baidoa, and Baledogle Dec: completed full deployment, one month ahead of schedule
Somalia: major urban centres
UNSCR 794 Based on Chap VII UNITAF was to use “all necessary means to establish as soon as possible a secure environment for humanitarian relief operations in Somalia.”
Secure environment Disarmament? Guarding NGOs? Creating secure zones and corridors
Disarmament?: not likely Bush (5 Dec): UNITAF to “open supply routes, to get the food moving, and to prepare the way for a UN peacekeeping force.” Boutros-Ghali letter to Bush (8 Dec). CJCS Powell: “Disarmament is not possible in a country where everybody has a weapon.” Lt. Gen. Johnson: “totally naïve.”
Creating security? UNITAF engaged in haphazard disarmament (French/Belgium v US) Guarding NGOs: * disarming NGO guards! * practice changes in Mogadishu after March * Australian (Baidoa) & Belgian (Kismayo) Patrolling: US “human tanks” v French in skirts
Disarmament agreements 7 point agreement btw Aideed and Ali Mahdi (11 Dec 1992) Addis Ababa agreement by 15 factions (8 Jan 1993) Addis Ababa Conference on National Reconciliation (27 March 1993)
UNOSOM II 28,000 troops from 30 nations Major contingents from Pakistan, Belgium, France and Italy US force stays on: logistics (3,000) and QRF (1,150) Chaotic handover: Pakistanis and Italians ill-equipped, Indians late, “exhausted and demoralised” HQ
UNSCR 814 Prevent resumption of violence Take action against peace spoilers Control heavy weapons and seize small arms Secure aid and protect UN/NGOs all under Chap VII
Adm Jonathan Howe
Road to war Early shows of force in Jan SNA sneak heavy weapons back into Mogadishu May: Belgians repulse SNA from Kismayo Possible op against Radio Mogadishu 5 June: SNA ambush Pakistan unit, killing 24 and injuring 57
UNSCR 837 UNSOM II to “take all necessary measures against those responsible for the armed attacks.” Including those responsible for inciting the attacks
The UN-SNA war June: UNOSOM offensive July: UN under siege August: hunt for Aideed (led by Task Force Ranger)
UN’s obsession
Mission over
UNOSOM II collapses 3 Oct: 18 killed, 78 injured 7 Oct: Clinton ceases offensive ops, and US to pull out by March 1994 Europeans follow suit India, Malaysia, and Pakistan left holding the fort until Feb. 1995
Myth of mission creep Boutros-Ghali & Albright pushing the HI agenda UNOSOM II mandate: overly- ambitious from the start BBG backed Howe’s gunboat diplomacy
Public opinion CNN effect: - policy: certainty v uncertainty - political: unity v disunity Body-bag syndrome: - cause and time - political v public tolerance
Force protection v protecting civilians US “human tanks” in Mogadishu Haiti (Sept 1993): * 10 Mt Div in Port-au-Prince v US Marines in Cap Haitien * MNF CO Maj. Gen. Meade v CJSC Gen. Shelton
The shadow of Somalia Gen. Sir Michael Rose (UNPROFOR): “the Mogadishu Line” PDD-25: don’t call us Agenda for Peace 1995: consent, impartiality and non-use of force Rwanda: April-July 1994
Bosnia
Haiti
Inducing consent “Escalating to success” Request for armour and AC-130s turned down Danish tanks in Bosnia Getting heavy in Kosovo