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Humanitarian Intervention: Somalia, 1992-93 Prof. Theo Farrell King’s War Studies
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Humanitarian Interventions? India in East Pakistan (1971) Tanzania in Uganda (1978) Vietnam in Cambodia (1978)
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Post CW interventions Northern Iraq (1991) Somalia (1992-93) Bosnia (1992-94) Rwanda (1994) Haiti (1994-95) Kosovo (1999) East Timor (1999)
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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
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UN peacekeeping budget 1988: $230 m 1990s: $800-1,600 m
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Post CW interventions Northern Iraq (1991) Somalia (1992-93) Bosnia (1992-94) Rwanda (1994) Haiti (1994-95) Kosovo (1999) East Timor (1999)
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Somalia: the essentials Two missions (i) UNITAF: Dec 92 – May 93 (ii) UNOSOM: up to Feb. 1995 Three UNSC resolutions 794: UNITAF mandate 814: UNOSOM II mandate 837: Declaration of war
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Somalia on the map
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Background: Somalia Cold War legacy: economic ruin and country awash with weapons 1991: USC overthrow Siad Barre 1992: Somali state collapses
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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)
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Somalia: war and famine
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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)
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1991: brave new world The Gulf War (w/Soviet help) Kurdistan Collapse of Soviet Union New BOP and emerging normative order
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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.
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Pressure builds in DC Ismat Kittani report to UNSC (25 Nov): 70-80 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.”
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NGOs divided For: CARE USA and Oxfam-USA Against: MSF and Save the Children Unsure: Concern Worldwide and Oxfam-UK
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Pressure builds in DC Ismat Kittani report to UNSC (25 Nov): 70-80 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.”
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What’s this then…?
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Operation Restore Hope VCJCS says “yes” 3 Dec: UNSCR 794 9 Dec: Marines hit the beaches Why? (a) public opinion (b) Clinton and Bosnia
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Weinberger-Powell Doctrine Clear (doable) goals Success likely Decisive and overwhelming force Clear (quick) exit strategy
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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.
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UNITAF: rapid deployment Robert Oakley clears the path 9-16 Dec: secured Mogadishu, Kismayo, Baidoa, and Baledogle 16-28 Dec: completed full deployment, one month ahead of schedule
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Somalia: major urban centres
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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.”
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Secure environment Disarmament? Guarding NGOs? Creating secure zones and corridors
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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.”
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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
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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)
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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
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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
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Adm Jonathan Howe
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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
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UNSCR 837 UNSOM II to “take all necessary measures against those responsible for the armed attacks.” Including those responsible for inciting the attacks
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The UN-SNA war June: UNOSOM offensive July: UN under siege August: hunt for Aideed (led by Task Force Ranger)
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UN’s obsession
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Mission over
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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
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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
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Public opinion CNN effect: - policy: certainty v uncertainty - political: unity v disunity Body-bag syndrome: - cause and time - political v public tolerance
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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
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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
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Bosnia 1992-1995
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Haiti 1994-1995
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Inducing consent “Escalating to success” Request for armour and AC-130s turned down Danish tanks in Bosnia Getting heavy in Kosovo
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