Recognizing the importance of the nations residing on the continent of Africa in an interconnected world, the United States established the United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) in October 2007. That development alone makes it imperative that American military leaders understand the problems facing many African states today and the conflicts that have ravaged them in the recent past. Often rich in resources, both human and economic, yet uneven in development of governmental institutions and infrastructure, the nations of this large continent represent both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge can be as complex as the removal of a sanctuary for terrorists without excessive violence or the marshalling of resources to alleviate a massive humanitarian crisis. The opportunity is that constructive engagement at an early stage can perhaps forestall the expenditure of large sums of blood and treasure to ameliorate a seriously deteriorating situation. In all of these cases, military leaders must have an understanding of Africa's geography, its peoples, and its history. Only through this understanding can the military instrument be applied intelligently and humanely. This study by Larry J. Woods and Colonel Timothy R. Reese analyzes the massive turmoil afflicting the nation of Sierra Leone, 1995-2002, and the efforts by a variety of outside forces to bring lasting stability to that small country. The taxonomy of intervention ranged from private mercenary armies, through the Economic Community of West African States, to the United Nations and the United Kingdom. In every case, those who intervened encountered a common set of difficulties that had to be overcome. Unsurprisingly, they also discovered challenges unique to their own organizations and political circumstances. Serving soldiers can often profit vicariously from the mistakes of others as recounted in detailed case studies of historical events. This cogent analysis of recent interventions in Sierra Leone represents a cautionary tale that political leaders and military planners contemplating intervention in Africa ignore at their peril.
About the Author: Chaplain (Lieutenant Colonel) Larry Woods retired from the US Army in 2006 and joined the Research and Publications team of the Combat Studies Institute in May 2007. Prior to his retirement, he served in the Chaplain Corps Branch with the great Soldiers of the US Army in various assignments around the world, including Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Ottawa University, his Master of Divinity in Church History from Central Theological Seminary, and his Master of Business Administration in Military Management from Touro University. He is currently working on his Master of Arts in History from American Military University. He resides with his family in Leavenworth, Kansas. Colonel Timothy R. Reese is an Armor officer and Army historian. He was commissioned in 1981 from the United States Military Academy and has held a variety of command and staff positions in the United States, Germany, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. Colonel Reese holds a Master of History degree from the University of Michigan and a Master of National Security Studies from the US Army War College. He has been the director of the Combat Studies Institute since 2005 and will deploy to Iraq in 2008.