An Examination of Foreign Involvement in Civil Wars: Somalia 1991 to -, Afghanistan 1979 to.

Abstract : Foreign involvement in Somalia and Afghanistan has included military aid such as hardware and training, and humanitarian aid including assistance with infrastructure improvements and food. This research showed that the effects of foreign involvement in the internal affairs of Somalia and Afghanistan were not seriously investigated, nor the long-term ramifications of foreign military and humanitarian aid sufficiently analyzed to allow the interdicting powers to adequately predict the impacts of intervention. Foreign involvement has been a contributing factor in the present unstable conditions in Somalia and Afghanistan and has not helped them attain the goal of national direction and independence, however, tribalism in its various forms must account for the instability experienced in both Somalia and Afghanistan. Tribalism manifests itself in many forms including favoritism in governmental appointments, and regional distribution of aid dollars and food. In both these societies members consider themselves a component of a family or a clan/tribe first, their national identity follows and is much less important. Any amount of aid will not bring about national stability or a nationalist state of mind in populations so intensely tribal. To support these findings historical examples and the present situations are discussed.