DISASTER AND INTERVENTION IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: LEARNING FROM RWANDA

Rwanda's horrific civil war suggests that human disasters
requiring outside intervention will remain common in Sub-Saharan
Africa. The American people want a prompt and effective response
to human disasters when the United States becomes involved. The
Army is taking steps to enhance its demonstrated effectiveness at
such operations.
In this study, Steven Metz examines the policy and strategy
implications of violence-induced human disasters in Sub-Saharan
Africa with special emphasis on Rwanda. The author argues that
our senior military leaders, policymakers and strategists must
better understand the African security environment. He also warns
that to avoid overtaxing the military, U.S. objectives in African
disaster relief must be limited. This combination of limited
policy goals and operational efficiency will allow the U.S.
military to serve public demands at a minimal cost to its other
efforts.
The Strategic Studies Institute is pleased to offer this
study as part of the ongoing effort to improve American
capabilities in the complex array of operations other than war we
face in the post-Cold War security environment.