Clinton Administration's Shift in Rwanda Policy: Implications for Global Peacekeeping

Strategic Insights -

The Clinton administration is re-evaluating its stance on peacekeeping, particularly in the face of escalating violence in Rwanda. After the UN secretary-general, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, appealed for "forceful action" to restore order and stop the massacres, the administration proposed a plan to use neighboring African countries to stop the bloodshed. This shift in policy comes as President Clinton prepares to unveil his new policy statement on international peacekeeping, dubbed PDD-13, which sets stringent conditions for US troop deployments.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Clinton administration has proposed using neighboring African countries to stop the civil war in Rwanda, rather than direct US military intervention.
  • The proposal is a response to the UN secretary-general's appeal for "forceful action" to restore order and stop the massacres in Rwanda.
  • The new policy statement, PDD-13, imposes stringent conditions on the deployment of US troops, including that they remain under the final command of US commanders.
  • The policy shift comes after a series of controversies, including the loss of 18 US troops in Somalia and the humbling withdrawal of US troops from Haiti.
  • President Clinton's credibility as a foreign policy leader is facing scrutiny as a result of the administration's hesitant approach to international peacekeeping efforts.
  • The director of foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution, John Steinbruner, argues that the US should take a stronger leadership role in international peacekeeping efforts, citing the interconnectedness of the global community.

Statistics:

  • Up to 250,000 refugees had fled across the border with Tanzania in the previous 24 hours, according to the UN.
  • The loss of 18 US troops in Somalia led to a swift re-assessment of US involvement in UN peacekeeping efforts.
  • The administration's proposal to use neighboring African countries to stop the conflict in Rwanda is a significant shift from the previous policy of sending US troops to stop the bloodshed.

Sources:

  • "US to help fund emergency peacekeeping operation by African states" by MARTIN WALKER in Washington, The Times, 1994.
  • Speech by President Clinton to the UN General Assembly, September 1993.
  • Presidential Decision Directive (PDD-13) - exact text and publication date not specified in the source material.
  • The Asia-Pacific Economic Conference, 1993.
  • International Herald Tribune, 1994 - (no specific date mentioned in the original article)
  • Brookings Institution, Center for International Studies - no specific publication date or title mentioned.