NCJ Number
178793
Journal
Studies in Conflict & Terrorism Volume: 22 Issue: 1 Dated: January-March 1999 Pages: 53-77
Date Published
March 1999
Length
25 pages
Annotation
The international intervention in Liberia between 1990 and 1997 by the Economic Community of West Africa's Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) is examined for insights into the potential for effective regional, coalition peacekeeping operations.
Abstract
Since the end of the Cold War, the international community has become more involved in peacekeeping operations in countries experiencing internal conflicts. ECOMOG involvement in Liberia is cited as a useful case study of peacekeeping operations for several reasons. It was almost purely an African effort, with some financial and diplomatic support from the United States and the United Nations. In addition, it illustrated advances of an operation run by a pre-existing regional organization, offered insights into the nature of ad hoc military coalitions, and provided an opportunity to examine advantages and disadvantages of a coalition dominated by a local hegemon. The viability of ECOMOG is discussed in terms of political cohesion, legitimacy, and collective military capability, and broad implications are drawn for future regional coalitions. The authors suggest that political viability can exist only when coalition members have strong mutual interests and that military viability is relative only to requirements of the operation at hand. 54 notes