The United States in Somalia “Operation Restore Hope” August – October 1992

Where is Somalia?

Brief History of Somalia Post-World War II –Was a protectorate of Great Britain 1960 –Achieved independence 1970s –Military dictatorship Under Mohamed Siad Barre 1980s –Somalia's strategic importance was diminished due to end of the Cold War –Government became even more totalitarian

Somali Civil War – 1991 Results of the Somali Civil War –Barre is ousted from leadership –Disrupted agriculture, food & water distribution –Based on clan allegiances and competition for resources

Somali Civil War – 1991 More Results –Famine – approx. 300,000 dead –UN Security Council authorized the limited peacekeeping operation Completely disregarded by the warring factions

Warlords The country was ruled by a number of warlords –A person with power who has military and civil control over a an area –Armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central government Alliance of warlords was formed in 1992 –Operated under the authority of Mohamed Farrah Aidid –Declared himself President of Somalia

United States Response In December of 1992, President Bush ordered Operation Restore Hope –Primary mission of restoring order in Somalia President Bill Clinton took office in January 1993 and continued the Operation

The Home-Front Many Somalis resented the international forces –Many took up arms and actively resisted the UN and US On June 5, 1993, one of the deadliest attacks on UN forces in Somalia occurred –24 UN soldiers were killed in Mogadishu (controlled by Aidid)

The UN Responds The next day, the UN issued Resolution 837 calling for the arrest and trial of those responsible for the ambush –US and UN began an attack on Aidid’s control –Aidid remained defiant, and the violence between Somalis and UN troops escalated

The Battle of Mogadishu Fought on October 3 and 4, 1993, in Mogadishu, Somalia Operation was to capture top officials to Aidid

The Battle of Mogadishu During the operation, two US Black Hawk helicopters were shot down –Some soldiers were trapped at the crash sites –A combined task force was sent to rescue the trapped soldiers Results –US Forces 19 Killed 84 Wounded –Somali Forces Est Killed Est. 1,500 Wounded

Fallout from Mogadishu

American Foreign Policy Became a cautionary influence on US policy –When US considers sending soldiers into foreign crisis zones – “remember Somalia” Americans were repulsed at the images of soldiers' corpses being dragged through the streets

The End of International Involvement Withdrawal –President Clinton called for a full withdrawal by March Marines were completely removed from the area by 1995 –The UN also withdrew forces Ended the UN effort to help a country in anarchy and civil war

The End of International Involvement Results –Secretary of Defense Les Aspin resigned Blamed for denying the US Army permission to use tanks –US politicians didn’t want tanks in Somalia Thought it would look bad for “peacekeeping”

THE END