...The U.S. intervention in Somalia marked the first time that the United States placed its military operations under the flag of the United Nations (UN). Africa's first post-cold war conflict, the corrupt regime of Muhammed Siad Barre prompted the necessity for intervention in Somalia. In power from 1969 to 1991, Barre created a patron-client relationship with the nation's clan-based society. That system required continuous outside assistance, and by 1987, some 57% of Somalia's gross national product was generated by international aid. Although he lacked legitimacy outside his clan, Somali general Mohamed Farah Aidid overthrew Barre, which led to the collapse of the state, continuous clan-based civil war, and famine. That situation provoked the deployment of the first UN Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM I) in April 1992. Yet the force proved insufficient to control the "technicals" (a euphemism for mercenaries who remained loyal to their clans) hired by in-country humanitarian organizations. Under those circumstances, between November 1991 and March 1992, some 30,000–50,000 Somalis died of starvation. The U.S.-led Unified Task Force (UNITAF) broke that cycle in December 1992, when the UN Security Council authorized a deployment to Somalia of U.S. troops, which had been offered by the outgoing president George Bush. UNOSOM would work with a unified command (37,000 troops from more than 20 nations, including, at its peak, 29,000 U.S. troops) and continue with its original mandate...
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...global communities today. The notion of this threat comes from international terrorists, drug barons or weapons or arsenals (Anonymous, 2005) harbouring in failed states, which can bring harm to neighbouring or powerful countries. Somalia appears to be the very definition of what we call a failed state. The last time this desert country possessed anything approaching a “normal” government, with tax collection, social services and law enforcement was a under a bloody dictator named Siad Barre (Cockburn.2002). Now Somalia proposes the risk of consequences to the global community. Like Somalia, Pakistan is one of the failed states that are proving to have major consequences that we are seeing today. Terrorist Groups such as Taliban, Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba have established themselves as a state within a state (Boot 2008). These terrorist groups can now make major attacks, which killed more than 170 people in Mumbai alone (Boot 2008). This has become a subject of concern for that western countries have being debating over. The difficulties of trying to bring justice to these failed states is because of the odds of success are low and the risk of unintended consequences is very high (Zakaric, 2010). Since there is an awareness of being passive to these countries to avoid unintended fallouts, rather than taking action to implicate a justified government, there will be an ever-lasting threat to the global communities. Somalia is a failed state that poses risks to the global community...
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...The Rwandan Genocide: Reasons for the non-intervention by the United States. ´´ In their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda.´´ - Kofi Annan RESIT By: Amber Vos S2380285 Lecturer: Miss Justine Jones Group 3 Word Count: 2639 Table of Content Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The legacy of Somalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Lack of National Support . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The role of the media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Introduction On April the 6th 1994, the Hutu population of Rwanda attacked the Tutsi minority. In the short period of hundred days approximately 800,000 Rwandans, mostly Tutsi’s, were killed. Even the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide which...
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...In the case of Somalia, it is evident that without a well-planned military operation to assist humanitarian efforts, those efforts will all be in vain. However, Operation Restore Hope and Gothic Serpent were both an absolute disaster in my opinion because both operations lacked Somali involvement, the U.S. troops where ill prepared to hunt down Aidid. U.S. involvement in Somalia, especially the massive amount of civilian casualties, only further contributed to the country's chaotic descent collective violence. Perhaps if the U.N. Security Council had put forward a plan for limited military operations involving a coalition of nations (such as was done in the Gulf War) along with more dedicated humanitarian efforts, then maybe there could have...
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...1. INTRODUCTION The horrors of Somalia, Angola and the Congo (present day Democratic Republic of Congo) made the new challenges that the present day United Nations faces easier to confront, as they highlighted the glaring weaknesses that riddled the early days of peacekeeping. The UN was portrayed as a vulnerable institution without a spine which could not enact strong and effective policies to deal with interventions, and it was this view which led me to look at the three most decisive UN interventions conducted on the African continent since its inception. The interventions in Angola , Somalia and Congo , were all conducted at different stages of the UN’s reign , and as such they help paint a clearer image on how far the organisation has come from post-World War II , through the Cold War to the present day. A major tool of the UN in its unprecedented efforts has been its UN Charter , within which it manifests its principles and goals clearly and concisely, and it is through this framework that it has conducted itself in every UN peacekeeping mission. The Charter is the working document of the UN as it follows its guidelines in a diligent and stringent manner. However, this stance has led to it being exploited by more cunning leaders, or even finding itself in the complex situation of being tempted to disobey the Charter, due to its limiting and constraining nature. In this essay, I will focus primarily on a combination of all the approaches used in writing essays .As such...
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...license, please use: https://www.copyright.com/ccc/basicSearch.do? &operation=go&searchType=0 &lastSearch=simple&all=on&titleOrStdNo=0042-6571 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE ESSAY Somalia: State Failure, Piracy, and the Challenge to International Law MARIO SILVA* Introduction .......................................................................................... I. T he Failed State ......................................................................... A . In General ........................................................................ B. Case Study: Somalia ........................................................ 1. Political Instability in Somalia ............................. 2. Economic Instability in Somalia .......................... 3. Humanitarian Challenges and Societal Instability in Somalia ............................................ II. P iracy ......................................................................................... A . In General ........................................................................ B. International Treaties and International Actions to Halt P iracy ............................................................................... 1. Actions Taken by the United Nations .................. 2. Other Actions Taken by the International C ommunity ........................................................... C. Challenges to Anti-Piracy Actions...
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...International Foreign Policy Nineteen forty-five was thought to be a turning point as the Second World War came to a close. In addition, over fifty-one countries committed themselves to maintaining international peace across the globe, all with the hope of preventing future genocide. Almost forty-seven years after taking this pledge, the world turned their backs on the country of Rwanda, while Hutu extremists slaughtered almost a million Tutsis. George and Keir Pearson wrote the movie Hotel Rwanda to help expose the injustices felt by the people of Rwanda during this time. It is through the use of Colonel Oliver’s role within the movie that the lack of humanitarian intervention in the Rwandan genocide is shown. His actions as a liaison officer for the UN, as well as his unbiased views, make Colonel Oliver the perfect character to unearth the reasons behind the international community’s inaction towards the Rwandan massacre. Early on in the movie, it is noted that Canadian officer Colonel Oliver is acting on behalf of the wishes of the United Nations. This is initially appreciated in a scene with a journalist. In response to her inquiry as to whether or not the UN planned on stopping the Rwandan bloodshed, the Colonel replied, “We're here as peacekeepers, not as peacemakers. My orders are not to intervene”. This statement shows the United Nations resistance to the use of firearms shortly after the massacre in Somalia took place. The failure of the UN seen in Somalia was accounted...
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...Assignment 2.2: Policeman of the World Final Paper Professor: Reagan Smith HIS105 – Contemporary U.S. History 3/15/14 Since gaining independence from the British in 1776, the United States foreign policy over the years has gone from expansionist to isolationism to defending democracy. With the responsibility of defending democratic rights for those who cannot defend themselves, the United States in my opinion has taken on the role of “policeman of the world.” This role became more evident with the use of U.S. military force in international incidents like U.S. intervention in the 2011 Libyan Civil War to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and U.S. involvement in the 2011 Yemeni Civil War protesting the leadership of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Despite the United States being hailed as a defender of democracy by some, their actions are usually not selfless. In both situations protecting United States interests was a major factor. Both Libya and Yemen are hot beds for terrorist activity by radical groups like al-Qaeda. The United States keeps tabs on the activities of these groups in an effort to intercept information to thwart acts of terrorism, particularly against Americans. Leadership in these vulnerable countries is of great interest to the United States because some regimes are sympathetic to these militant groups. A lack of clear leadership in these countries also poses a threat to U.S. interests because a lapse in leadership can lead to militant...
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...Policemen of the World Assignment 2.2: Final Paper Erika Wood Contemporary U.S. History September 9, 2014 Since gaining independence from the British in 1776, the United States foreign policy over the years has gone from expansionist to isolationism to defending democracy. With the responsibility of defending democratic rights for those who cannot defend themselves, the United States in my opinion has taken on the role of “policeman of the world.” This role became more evident with the use of U.S. military force in international incidents like U.S. intervention in the 2011 Libyan Civil War to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and U.S. involvement in the 2011 Yemeni Civil War protesting the leadership of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Regardless of the United States being hailed as a defender of democracy by some, their actions are usually not selfless. In both situations protecting United States interests was a major factor. Both Libya and Yemen are hot beds for terrorist activity by radical groups like al-Qaeda. The United States keeps tabs on the activities of these groups in an effort to intercept information to thwart acts of terrorism, particularly against Americans. Leadership in these vulnerable countries is of great interest to the United States because some regimes are sympathetic to these militant groups. A lack of clear leadership in these countries also poses a threat to U.S. interests because a lapse in leadership can lead to militant groups...
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...Vulnerable Populations- Somalia Refugees Vulnerable Populations- Somalia Refugees Referred to as the ‘Horn of Africa’, Somalia is located on the eastern tip of the continent of Africa. Somalia is bordered by Kenya to the southwest, Yemen to the north, and Ethiopia to the west, and a prosperous boating region on the Indian Ocean. Before it was inhabited by foreign countries, it has only been close to being a thriving country. History World states, “The land of Somali people, much of it arid and inhospitable, has for thousands of years been close to civilization and international trade,” (Gascoigne, 2010). Which means only within reach, but the bad luck started before the Somali War even had a chance to affect the outcome of Somali culture. All the areas surrounding Somalia became bustling with civilization and substantial living, including Saba, where the Queen of Sheba was originated, and even Ethiopia where the Aksum kingdom erected before the 6th century B.C. The boating district is and has always been bustling because it is halfway to India for trade. For the people of Somalia times have always been grueling. With initial conflicts between three countries, Somalia has always been in turmoil. The French, the British and the Italians fought to gain leadership and earn ownership of Somali land. Reaching an agreement the Italians signed the Treaty of Uccialliin over the largest part of coastal Somalia with the Ethiopians. However, with greed and violence arising with Italy’s...
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...Somalia has been without an effective central government since President Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991. Years of fighting between rival warlords and an inability to deal with famine and disease have led to the deaths of up to one million people. Comprised of a former British protectorate and an Italian colony, Somalia was created in 1960 when the two territories merged. Since then its development has been slow. Relations with neighbours have been soured by its territorial claims on Somali-inhabited areas of Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti. In 1970 Mr Barre proclaimed a socialist state, paving the way for close relations with the USSR. In 1977, with the help of Soviet arms, Somalia attempted to seize the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, but was defeated thanks to Soviet and Cuban backing for Ethiopia, which had turned Marxist. In 1991 President Barre was overthrown by opposing clans. But they failed to agree on a replacement and plunged the country into lawlessness and clan warfare. Continue reading the main story At a glance * Scene of Africa's worst humanitarian crisis: aid agencies warn that millions face starvation * No effective government since 1991 * Islamist militia and UN-backed transitional government compete for control of country * The self-proclaimed state of Somaliland and the region of Puntland run their own affairs Country profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring In 2000 clan elders and other senior figures appointed Abdulkassim Salat Hassan...
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...|HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION | |INTRODUCTION | Humanitarian intervention poses a hard test for any international society built on principles of sovereignty, non-intervention, and the non-use of force. Immediately after the Holocaust, the society of states established laws prohibiting genocide, forbidding the mistreatment of civilians, and recognizing basic human rights. These humanitarian principles often conflict with principles of sovereignty and non-intervention. Sovereign states are expected to act as guardians of their citizens’ security, but what happens if states behave as criminals towards their own people, treating sovereignty as a licence to kill? Should tyrannical states be recognized as legitimate members of international society and accorded the protection afforded by the non-intervention principle? Or, should states forfeit their sovereign rights and be exposed to legitimate intervention if they actively abuse or fail to protect their citizens? Related to this, what responsibilities do other states or institutions have to enforce human rights norms against governments that massively violate them? Armed humanitarian intervention was not a legitimate practice during the cold war because states placed more...
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...Adeola Adegbite March 21st 2013 African International Politics Professor Throup Failure of Organizations Throughout modern history, Western powers such as the United States and Europe have always assisted weaker nations in order for those countries to maintain internal stability and external relations with other nations. Most often, Western powers to aid states with failing democratic systems or nations that are strategic allies in certain regions of the world. For Western powers, it is important to promote the ideals of Democracy, and assist other nations deemed as crucial to Democracy’s development. Democracies and its expansion are vital for several reasons Democratic nations foster peace and stability. Following World War II, the United States believed it was imperative to sustain and support Western Europe. At the time Western Europe was facing the encroachment of the Soviet Union and its communist ideologies. The United States saw its support for Western Europe as essential in order to preserve their alliance, and most importantly to continue strengthening and expanding democratic ideals. However, as of the past twenty years, when it comes sub-Saharan Africa, Western nations are not nearly as concerned about a states internal or external stability. For example, countries such as Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, and many other sub-Saharan countries are in utter turmoil, but the West has turned a blind eye. The burden now falls on organizations like the United Nations, Organization...
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...The Effects of War and Peace on Foreign Aid in Somalia Rachel Gardner Professor Marco Mena Sociology of Developing Countries Strayer University 5/4/2014 The Effects of War and Peace on Foreign Aid Foreign aid plays a major role in the sustainability of economic and social activities of developing nations. Whether in the form of development or humanitarian aid, the foreign aid is key to ensuring better living conditions and economic development for these states. These forms of aid are influential in pushing for progress in among the developing nations, but the presence of war greatly affects progress. War has a bearing impact on the distribution of foreign aid in the developing nations due to the resulting impediments that hinder effective movements of the aid to the intended population. One such country is Somalia that has for decades faced civil war due to the lack of a stable government. The effect of the war is eminent; starving population, poor infrastructure, disease outbreaks and mass displacements of the country’s citizens into refugee camps. However, the country has also received large amounts of foreign aid to assist it in addressing its current troubles, but due the continued prevalence of war in the country no substantial gain has been witnessed. Judging from countries facing similar conditions, it becomes apparent that key is vital for the effectiveness of foreign aid failure to which no significant development can occur. Peace is a key factor in effective...
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...within another state? May a state or international institution like the United Nations intervene in the affairs of another state? Do we have a moral and ethical duty for intervention when a political regime is harming its own citizens? Is it legal under International law for a state to intervene in another state’s territorial and political sovereignty with or without United Nation Security Council’s approval? It is the aim of this essay to examine some of the answers commonly given to these questions. To address the ethical and legal justifiability of intervention this essay will begin by analyzing how we define humanitarian intervention. The second section discusses moral and ethical issue relating to humanitarian intervention. The discussion focuses on the several theories that present a moral case for intervention. It concludes by examining whether international law should affirm a right to humanitarian intervention. The literature on the ethics and legality of humanitarian intervention is filled with disagreement. This essay seeks to identify and critically assess the often unexamined moral and legal assumptions behind these disagreements. Definition of Humanitarian Intervention It is necessary to begin with a clear understanding of the concept to be analyzed. We need then to start by addressing the question, what is humanitarian intervention? And to address this we need to study the definition of humanitarian intervention. “It is the threat or use of force across...
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