Essay Sample on International Dimensions of National Conflict

Introduction

In assessing the reading material concerning the national conflict in Africa, the common notion identified was that foreign powers highly influence African nations. The conflict between foreign and national policies result in disagreements which later contribute to war. The countries are experiencing social instability due to numerous political, social, or economic issues attributed to international interference. The publications offer historical, political, and social problems the populace faces as they undergo various sociopolitical and economic development. Western influence is assessed as a pivotal contributor to the various social and political upheavals, such as those demonstrated in Liberia (Schmidt 187).

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Reading Materials

The reading materials that will be used to assess the international dimensions of national conflict include, firstly, “A Long Way Gone,” by Ishmael Beah. The first reading is a memoir of the survivor of the Liberian Civil War. The author of the book experienced the Liberian Civil War first hand as he was recruited as a boy soldier. Drugged and weaponized, they were directly forced to participate in the war, killing thousands and displaced millions from Liberia. The second reading is the sixth chapter of “Lessons And Legacies Of The War On Terror: From Moral Panic To Permanent War.” by Shafir, Gershon, who assesses the American fight against terrorism in the horn of Africa. The publication critically assesses the actions of America before and after the events of 9/11 in various terrorist prone countries. The third book for assessment is “Foreign Intervention in Africa: From the Cold War to the War on Terror,” by Elizabeth Schmidt. The publication is a qualitative analysis of foreign policies and politics during the Cold War and how it impacted African stability. Moreover, it also addresses how America approaches counterterrorism in Africa and the implications of their actions.

Rwandese Genocide

The fourth book used in the assessment is “When Victims Become Killers,” by Mahmood Mamdani. The book offers an in-depth analysis of the Rwandese genocide and how various political, historical, and colonial factors contributed to the massacre of one tribe. The fifth book used in the analysis is “A man of Good Hope,” by Jonny Steinberg. The publication is the memoir of Asad Abdullahi and how he survived the Somalian Civil War. It also addresses how he traveled across East and Southern Africa in search of stability. The sixth book assessed was “Piracy in Somalia: Violence and Development in the Horn of Africa,” by Awet Tewelde Weldemichael. The author offers a different perspective on the issue of piracy in Somalia. According to the author, piracy in Africa's horn is more dynamic than portrayed by governments and media houses. The final publication used in the assessment is “Foreign Intervention in Africa After the Cold War,” by Elizabeth Schmidt. Like her other publication used in the valuation, the author offers an in-depth understanding of how African nations have been influenced by foreign governments resulting in most conflicts.

The first reading material to be used in the review is “Foreign Intervention in Africa: From the Cold War to the War on Terror,” by Elizabeth Schmidt. The 2013 publication introduces Africa's international view as “…a continent that is crippled with corruption, conflict, disease, and hunger” (Schmidt 1). She further states that developed countries assume African nations lack the will to govern themselves, resulting in high corruption and ethnic and religious differences (Schmidt 18). Nevertheless, Schmidt's primary notion is that Africa has been a victim of international interference. She addresses issues, such as the impact of decolonization during the Cold War, by focusing on nations such as the Congo and Egypt. For example, Schmidt elaborates on the fact that colonialism repressed African independence when she states, “During the first postwar decade, France and Britain responded to political challenges with repression” (Schmidt 18). Draconian strategies were applied by the British resulting in rebellions that later presented opportunities for Cold War competition.

Foreign Interference

In the second publication assessed, “Foreign Intervention in Africa After the Cold War,” by Elizabeth Schmidt in 2018, she offers a qualitative assessment of foreign interference in African politics. In the last chapter, Schmidt (2018) addresses the U.S. military's growing presence in and various regions of east Africa. Her statement supports the notion, “…the war on terror, like its Cold War antecedent, augmented foreign military presence in Africa…” (Schmidt p. 389). She continues to state in her assessment that terrorism has replaced the 1950s and 60s American war on communism (Schmidt, 2018, p. 331). Terrorism has become the new motivator for American involvement in African and international affairs (Schmidt, 2018, p.332). The assessment offers rational arguments on the international community's actions and their effects on a growing economy and society. The publication analyses the notion of international interference in Africa and further supporting the arguments made in her 2013 publication.

The third reading material in the assessment is “A Long Way Gone,” by Ishmael Beah. However, unlike the other publications, the author offers a firsthand experience of conflict in Africa. The author was part of the militia groups that fought against the rebel forces during the Liberian Civil War. The author contributes to the previously identified notion of a lack of leadership in Africa. The memoir makes it evident that the rebels were well armed to govern Liberia through violence. The mantra, “Visualize the enemy, the rebels who killed your parents, your family…,” fueled the conflict in Liberia. The lack of cohesion resulted in civilians, militia groups, and government soldiers to take arms and protect their respective ideology of freedom and sovereignty, further complicating the conflict (Beah, 2008, P. 138). The details of the memoir also contributed to the shared notion in the assessment that international influencers caused Africa’s conflicts. The outcome was humanitarian atrocities that scarred the country and its people.

Humanitarian Crises

The fourth publication used is “When Victims Become Killers,” by Mahmood Mamdani shares the issue of international interference and humanitarian crises in his assessment of the Rwandese genocide. The author focuses on the political, cultural, economic, and market-based identities that influenced the genocide. According to Mamdani (2002), “…the contradictory nature of cultural and political developments antagonized the Hutu and Tutsi.” (Mamdani 60). In other words, the political identities within the country polarized the people through historical roots. The outcome was identified as “…a “racial” cleansing, not a violence against one who is seen as a neighbor but against one who is seen as a foreigner…” (Mamdani 14). The notion of international interference is addressed when the author states, “…settler originated as political identities in the context of modern colonialism…” (Mamdani 14).

The fifth reading material is “A man of Good Hope,” by Jonny Steinberg; similar to Beah (2008) 's previous assessment; it addresses conflict from a firsthand perspective. The material illuminates on the humanitarian crisis that was in Somalia during the start of their civil war. According to the memoir, the fundamental issues facing most African countries today, crime and poverty. The notion is illustrated after arriving in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he stated, “…was a thin spine of wealth, embedded in the flesh of Addis’s poverty” (Steinberg 205). In the case of Asad Abdullahi, his problems were compounded to include xenophobia and lethal racism in South Africa, repression in Ethiopia, and the hardships of migrating. His experience demonstrated the various issues facing the Africans due to policies imposed by foreign governments. It further supports the previous articles' ideologies expressing the human factor and how few people consider their struggle and desire for peace.

Permanent War

The sixth book assessed was Lessons and Legacies of the War On Terror: From moral panic to permanent war by Gershon Shafir. In the sixth chapter of the book, the author assesses the American counterterrorism efforts in East Africa. However, according to the author, the war on terrorism was mainly a proxy war. In his statement, “…America’s war on terror in East Africa would largely be fought by proxy.” (Shafir 127). The author identifies that the strategy was to take advantage of neighboring countries to prevent terror within East Africa. However, it only aided in increasing terror activities in the countries involved, further increasing terror acts. The author offers terror activity examples such as “…the U.S. embassy bombing in 1998…” (Shafir 127). The American presence did not do much to aid in controlling terror; instead needed the opportunity to have a military presence in the horn of Africa. The notion supports the argument by Schmidt (2018), who had similar assessments.

The final book is “Piracy in Somalia: Violence and Development in the Horn of Africa,” by Awet Tewelde Weldemichael. The author views piracy at the Horn of Africa as an issue with a more dynamic background. According to the author’s assessment, piracy in Somalia was mainly caused by social issues such as unregulated fishing and the dumping of waste into the ocean, further damaging fish habitats. The notion was supported by international bodies such as the U.N. when he stated, “Various United Nations bodies and independent analysts agree with many local actors that the nexus between hazardous waste dumping and illegal fishing” (Weldemichael 2). The lack of a formal government due to the civil war previously mentioned escalated the criminal behavior making the region a high-risk area. The previously assessed publications well address the problems of piracy. They demonstrate how international interference and national instability resulted in factors promoting piracy.

Conclusion

The civil war that broke out in Liberia offers a descriptive elaboration of the government's social and political atrocities to its people. Children were equipped with firearms, and forced to become soldiers, stripped from their parents and communities. The materials focus on various African continent areas from the west to the east with numerous accounts and qualitative assessments of interventions and overall international involvement in African countries.

Works Cited

Beah, I. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs Of A Boy Soldie. Sarah Crichton Books, 2008.

Mamdani, Mahmood. When Victims Become Killers. Princeton University Press, 2002.

Schmidt, E. Foreign Intervention In Africa.. Cambridge University Press, 2013.

Schmidt, Elizabeth. Foreign Intervention In Africa After The Cold War. Ohio University Press., 2018.

Shafir, Gershon. Lessons And Legacies Of The War On Terror: From Moral Panic To Permanent War. 1st ed., Routledge, 2013, pp. 127-150.

Steinberg, Jonny. A Man Of Good Hope. Vintage Publishers., 2015.

Weldemichael, Awet Tewelde. Piracy In Somalia. Cambridge University Press, 2019.