Includes bibliographical references and index.

pt. 1. Legal aspects of intervention: Failed visions and uncertain mandates in Somalia / Walter Clarke. The restoration of the Somali justice system / Martin R. Ganzglass. International peacebuilding and the dynamics of local and national reconciliation in Somalia / Ken Menkhaus -- pt. 2. Economic aspects of intervention: Somali land resource issues in historical perspective / Lee V. Cassanelli. Humanitarian relief intervention in Somalia: the economics of chaos / Andrew S. Natsios -- pt. 3. Military aspects of intervention: The relationship between the military and humanitarian organizations in Operation Restore Hope / Kevin M. Kennedy. Foreign military intervention in Somalia: the root cause of the shift from UN peacekeeping to peacemaking and its consequences / John Drysdale. The experience of European armies in Operation Restore Hope / G�erard Prunier -- pt. 4. Decisionmaking during intervention: U.S. government decisionmaking processes during humanitarian operations in Somalia / James L. Woods. Relations between the United States and United Nations in dealing with Somalia / Jonathan T. Howe. Congress and the Somalia crisis / Harry Johnston -- pt. 5. Conclusions: Rekindling hope in UN humanitarian intervention / Thomas G. Weiss. The lessons of Somalia for the future of U.S. foreign policy / Robert I. Rotberg. Somalia and the future of humanitarian intervention / Walter Clarke and Jeffrey Herbst.

The U.S.-led intervention in Somalia that began in December 1992 is the most significant instance to date of "peacemaking" by the international community. The heady promise of Operation Restore Hope and the subsequent disappointments have had a resounding impact on the policies of Western governments and the UN as they have tried to cope with humanitarian emergencies in Rwanda, Bosnia, and elsewhere. However, it is questionable how correct the lessons so quickly derived from the Somalia experience actually were. At the same time, many important organizational and operational innovations during the Somalia exercise have not received sufficient attention. Learning from Somalia is therefore critical if the international community is to respond better to tragedies that threaten millions of human lives. Contributors to this book, many of whom are policymakers who were either in Mogadishu or Washington during the relief missions, examine the intervention in Somalia and draw lessons for future peacekeeping operations. They analyze many aspects of peacemaking that are not well understood, including efforts to rebuild the police force, the dynamics of the economy, the relationship between the military and nongovernmental organizations, and the performance of European armies. The book also discusses international politics surrounding the crisis, especially the relationship between the United States and the UN and the legal justifications for intervention. The concluding chapters discuss the prospects for intervention efforts in light of the Somalia experience.