The Implementation of U.S. Foreign Policy through Its UNITAF Initiative in Somali Civil War 1992-1993

Abstract

The U.S. is a country that is always strategic with their foreign policy. Since early of its independence, the U.S. has always had a strong drive to sit on the highest hierarchy of international politics by becoming the global hegemony in influencing other nation-states and regions. In the modern politics, where international institution has started to influence the behavior of states, there are many states who starts to become more expansionist on their foreign policy. Amid the political modernization, the U.S. has shown more interventionist foreign policy approach, either it is through international institution platform or not. Along with the increasing trend of states’ interventionist foreign policy approach, some states are still in the middle of conflict phase, due to the absence of mature democracy that exist within the said state. One of them is in Somalia, where the two strongest warring factions amid Somalia struggle of power in 1992, has caused one of the deadliest civil wars ever recorded in Somalia that caused approximately 500,000 of deaths during that time. Witnessing the massive casualties being present in Somalia, this momentum becomes the strategic region to enforce their foreign policy through establishing an initiative that focus on the efficient delivery of humanitarian assistance. This is the beginning of UNITAF operation that closely works with the mission of Restoration of Hope under the resolution 794 passed by the Security Council.