US interaction in sierra leone essays

US interaction in sierra leone essays Since the United States has become one of the most authoritative nations in the world, they have taken on the position of protecting petty, insubstantial countries from harm. However, so many wars are going right now that the United States cannot get involved with all of them. The United States should get involved with the most atrocious and vexing wars, but they decide to get involved with the wars that will give them the most financial gain. Roughly the size of South Carolina, Sierra Leone is a small, tropical country located in West Africa and bordered by Guinea, Liberia, and the Atlantic Ocean (General Board of Global Ministries). Sierra Leone was, and still is a battleground, used for murder, rape, abduction, slavery, and torture. This was all a result of the Revolutionary United Front rebels, or RUF. The conflict began in March 1991, when armed combatants crossed the border from Liberia into the south-eastern part of the country, attacking and subsequently occupying the border town of Bomary in the Kailahun district (Centre for Documentation and Research). In retaliation, the government increased its military force from three thousand, to fourteen thousand men during the first two years of the conflict. After the first month of the conflict, many different military factions were born. Some were allied, and the rest fought each other. The RUF quickly rose during this time, and the government was forced to get assistance from foreign mercenaries. With the revenue of the diamonds the government sold, they were able to pay off the mercenaries. The Mercenaries stayed in Sierra Leone for 22 months. Within that time, they successfully launched attacks against the RUF, which cause them to withdraw from a number of bases they had established around the area. After this the RUF captives surrendered. Because the captives were treated well, this caused fear among the RUF, and was also dangerou...