Peace Operations

As of April 1994, about 90 U.S. government personnel remained in Somalia, about 70 of them military personnel. The military mission is limited to providing security and assistance to the U.S. Liaison Office and contract administration assistance to U.N. forces. The United States plans to withdraw almost all military personnel, but a firm date for withdrawal has yet to be set. The United States has sold more than $44 million worth of equipment to the U.N. and leased other items for almost $4 million for use by military contingents attached to the U.N. force. Before the sale and lease of these items, the Army studied the impact of these transactions and concluded that they would not harm unit readiness. The U.N. forces in Somalia have replaced the logistics capability lost when the United States withdrew. Officials from the U.N., State Department, and the Pentagon are confident that the U.N. forces should be able to carry out their mandate at current troop levels, although Pentagon officials caution that an escalation in inter-clan fighting could undermine the success of the mission being performed by the U.N. forces in Somalia.

GAO found that: (1) about 90 U.S. government personnel remained in Somalia as of April 1994, with about 70 military personnel providing security and assistance to the U.S. Liaison Office and contract administration assistance to UNOSOM II; (2) almost all U.S. military personnel will be withdrawn from Somalia at an unknown future date; (3) the United States sold over $44 million worth of equipment to the United Nations and leased almost $4 million worth of military equipment to military contingents participating in UNOSOM II; (4) the Department of Defense (DOD) will furnish spare parts to the United Nations if it establishes a cash account with DOD for paying for the items, since DOD is restricted from obligating funds for anything other than limited troop support in Somalia; (5) other equipment was loaned to the United Nations to maintain logistics and military support after the withdrawal; (6) UNOSOM II has replaced the logistics capabilities lost when the U. S. military withdrew from Somalia by contracting with a U.S. engineering firm; (7) U.S. officials believe that UNOSOM II can carry out its mandate at current troop levels, but some DOD officials believe that inter-clan fighting could jeopardize execution of the UNOSOM II mandate; and (8) the United Nations has been trying to reestablish the independent Somali police force with some DOD equipment.