The United States gives Africa assistance to deter international security threats that arise through conflicts within the continent, according to an international relations expert.

Dr. Robert G. Patman, professor of international relations at the University of Otago in New Zealand, in a Global Awareness lecture Wednesday, discussed American policy toward Sub-Saharan Africa before and after 9/11.

Since the Cold War, the U.S. has changed its policy from involvement to retreat to current engagement, Patman said.

Before the Cold War, "Washington essentially treated Africa as a strategic pawn in a game with the Soviet Union," Patman said,

Following the Cold War, Patman said there was "a constructive form of engagement."

When 800,000 Somalis were killed in 1993, the U.S. decided to intervene and distribute humanitarian needs by whatever means necessary.

This was the first time authority was given to intervene with armed humanitarianism without the consent from either warring party. This, however, Patman said, only met needs on a short-term basis; it did not stabilize the government.

When Clinton came into office, his administration refused to acknowledge the killings as genocide, Patman said.

Clinton planned to pull troops out within six months and proclaimed that the U.S. would keep peace only if it was in the interest of the U.S.

"Clinton wanted to dispel the fear of getting involved with other countries that might result in American casualties," Patman said. "Retreat from Africa also retracted democratization."

Security threats continued to increase during this period.

Civil wars were a major international security problem and prompted re-engagement in Africa, Patman said. Bush deployed 1,500 U.S. troops to Africa and boosted defenses after 9/11.

"We have a situation where the Bush administration became concerned for the rise of terrorism in Africa," he said.

Bush has yet to win support for action toward Africa.

Copyright Brigham Young University 27 Mar 2008