American Involvement In Somalia Essay
Introduction
The history of American involvement in Somalia can traced back to the 1970's, where Somalia and Ethiopia were both frontlines in the Cold War. In order to indirectly fight the Soviet Union, the USA supported the Somali Dictator Siad Barre with arms sales, in return for the use of strategic former Soviet bases, which could be used as strategic positions with which they could expand to the Middle East. Backed by the US, the Barre regime solidified its power by being one of the most repressive governments of the era. Furthermore it pitted rival Somali clans against each other, sowing the seeds for the fratricide and mass starvation to come. After Barre's overthrow in 1991, a power vacuum was left in the country now controlled by …show more content…
They all live in dilapidated huts, and the whole situation seems desperate - children taking care of their dying parents. A sort "history" of American involvement is displayed on the screen: "Years of warfare among rival clans causes famine on a biblical scale" ... "Behind a force of 20,000 U.S. Marines, food is delivered and order is restored." - no mention of the US's past involvement in selling arms to the dictators, or helping to stir up clan violence. The audience only knows what they are being told - the US troops are the good guys saving the day, not at all having anything to do with causing these atrocities. And after the audience is full of sorrow for the Somalis, a bright image of US military vehicle bringing food and supplies to Somalia. We are relieved that the Somalis are receiving the help they need, and we are subconsciously relieved that the blue tint is gone. So from the beginning of the movie we are made to see that the US military is the saviour - and we as the audience are therefore indebted to them. We also now have sympathy for the soldiers - it is this sympathy that dominates the rest of the
The history of American involvement in Somalia can traced back to the 1970's, where Somalia and Ethiopia were both frontlines in the Cold War. In order to indirectly fight the Soviet Union, the USA supported the Somali Dictator Siad Barre with arms sales, in return for the use of strategic former Soviet bases, which could be used as strategic positions with which they could expand to the Middle East. Backed by the US, the Barre regime solidified its power by being one of the most repressive governments of the era. Furthermore it pitted rival Somali clans against each other, sowing the seeds for the fratricide and mass starvation to come. After Barre's overthrow in 1991, a power vacuum was left in the country now controlled by …show more content…
They all live in dilapidated huts, and the whole situation seems desperate - children taking care of their dying parents. A sort "history" of American involvement is displayed on the screen: "Years of warfare among rival clans causes famine on a biblical scale" ... "Behind a force of 20,000 U.S. Marines, food is delivered and order is restored." - no mention of the US's past involvement in selling arms to the dictators, or helping to stir up clan violence. The audience only knows what they are being told - the US troops are the good guys saving the day, not at all having anything to do with causing these atrocities. And after the audience is full of sorrow for the Somalis, a bright image of US military vehicle bringing food and supplies to Somalia. We are relieved that the Somalis are receiving the help they need, and we are subconsciously relieved that the blue tint is gone. So from the beginning of the movie we are made to see that the US military is the saviour - and we as the audience are therefore indebted to them. We also now have sympathy for the soldiers - it is this sympathy that dominates the rest of the