Word: somalia
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President Clinton is no doubt relieved that the furor over his administration's foreign policy has died down. Last month, after the debacle in Somalia, he came under fire from all directions for being an incompetent novice, incapable of running the country's foreign relations. Now, a few weeks later, the talking heads have simmered down...
...missions are those in Haiti and Somalia, and each has an important precedent attached to it. If these missions die, those precedents are in danger...
...story in Somalia is even sadder. Behind intervention there was the notion that the world community should not allow a society to self-destruct and a people to be decimated. Yet after conflicts with General Aidid, the U.N. operation that saved thousands from starvation and was restoring stability to the country seems about ready to collapse. With the imminent failure of the mission, the factional fighting that led to chaos is reappearing. Starvation isn't far behind...
...things now stand, Haiti will move deeper into the grip of a military dictatorship and Somalia will slide back into chaos. The U.N. will have shown itself incapable of restoring usurped democracy, and unable to manage large-scale humanitarian intervention. The failure of these operations will not neccasarily preclude the U.N. from trying again, but the memory of debacles past will cast serious doubt on future missions...
...supporters. In addition to dropping its $25,000 reward for Aidid's capture, the U.N. announced the release of eight of his aides. The gestures are intended to encourage Aidid to join in negotiations that Washington now hopes will end the country's clan warfare. U.S. special envoy to Somalia Robert Oakley met with Aidid after he came out of hiding. Said Oakley: "The U.S. realized we made a mistake getting involved" in the hunt for Aidid...