American National Security Policy by John T. Fishel

Author:John T. Fishel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD

THE BOTCHED TRANSITION

With the passage of UNSCR 814 in March and the naming of the FC and his staff, planning began with the UNITAF staff for the transition to UNOSOM II. For planning purposes, the transition was to take place on or around May 4, 1993. From the point of view of the UNOSOM II command, this was a target date dependent on conditions on the ground, especially the arrival of forces. However, from the vantage point of UNITAF, which very much wanted to return to the United States (a large majority of the force and staff was American), May 4 was soon “carved in stone” regardless of the conditions on the ground.24

As May 4 approached, it became clear to the UNOSOM II headquarters that the forces earmarked for the mission would not be in place. UNDPKO had secured promises, but the force contributors would not be able to get many of their forces deployed by that date. In fact, the bulk of the UNOSOM II forces that would be in country by the time of the planned transition would be already there as part of UNITAF. This included the American QRF. Thus, as the planned transition date approached, 28,000 UNITAF forces remained in Somalia on May 3. By the next day that would fall to half, including both forces staying behind and new forces arriving. SRSG Howe, FC Bir, and Deputy FC Montgomery strongly requested, through their various channels, that the transition be postponed until the full force of UNOSOM II could be in place—to no avail.25 On May 4, 1993, the change of command ceremony was held in Mogadishu. Forces from UNITAF staying for UNOSOM II replaced their national headgear with the blue berets and blue helmets of the UN as the newly arriving forces donned their own blue helmets.

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