ABSTRACT
In July 1992, the United Nations Security Council sent a peacekeeping mission of approximately 500 troops to war-torn Somalia. Frustrated by the inability of the UN contingent to make any real dent in the power of the military factions in Somalia, the US government approved a massive deployment of troops in November 1992. On December 8, 1992, approximately 28,000 US troops landed in Somalia to ensure access to humanitarian aid. With the end of the Cold War, sending such a large contingent of forces to the Horn of Africa seemed to have little to do with traditional conceptions of the national interest. Moreover, having just lost an election to Governor Bill Clinton, President George Bush's motives did not appear to reflect any personal political gain. While some officials in the Bush administration tried to limit the "Thanksgiving Day decision" to a simple protection of relief distribution centers, United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali sought to increase the mandate of the mission to one of disarmament and political reconciliation. On March 26, 1993, with the full support of the Clinton administration, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 814, which expanded the mandate of the mission to include "nation-building." On May 4, 1993, the mission was formally handed back to the United Nations mission, now known as UNOSOM n (United Nations Operation in Somalia ll). Some US forces remained, but they were kept outside of the United Nations' chain of military command.
