Military Model Scene

Title: Operation Restore Hope
Author: Peter Baxter
Publisher: Helion & Company
ISBN: 978-1-915070-57-9

Available now is this revised edition of their book first published 2011. It is number 57 in the Africa@War series, a 64-page soft-cover book in the standard style for the series. It is revised from the original and features a new cover along with a completely new set of colour artwork in the centre pages.
The main story is the UN mission, largely made up of US forces, to intervene in the violence that overtook Somalia in the early 1990s. Clan rivalries fought for power, a conflict that had also seriously damaged the agricultural production element of the country, so starvation was added to the equation. I suspect most people will know Somalia for the battle for Mogadishu, and the events surrounding the shoot-down of two US helicopters, made famous by the story of Blackhawk Down. While that is included, I found the rest of the story very interesting. The background to the history and politics of the country I found very interesting, along with the eventual withdrawal of the failed UN mission. The looting of the evacuated facilities followed just as quickly as they left. Assistance for the country from other African nations helped sort things out, and has even allowed the agricultural output of Somalia to recover.
Coupled with the archive images, maps, new artwork and the main text, I found this to be interesting reading. There are many problems around the world and this is a good illustration that there is no one easy answer to all of them, the individual cultural differences within a country have to be taken into account.
Thanks to Helion & Co for our review copy.

Robin