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The Dilemmas of Security Assistance to a Failed State: Lessons from Somalia

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Before Military Intervention

Abstract

Reno shows that Somalia illustrates the difficulty of supporting and assisting the right people in stabilisation. In contrast to the official narrative of stabilisation, efforts in Somalia exposed the flawed assumptions of security sector reform and security force assistance, not least because of insurgent infiltration, corruption and collusion. Reno argues that a pragmatic solution is needed, and he sets out the key steps to take in upstream planning.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    William Reno

Authors
  1. William Reno
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. St Peter’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Timothy Clack

  2. Pembroke College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Robert Johnson

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Reno, W. (2019). The Dilemmas of Security Assistance to a Failed State: Lessons from Somalia. In: Clack, T., Johnson, R. (eds) Before Military Intervention. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98437-7_3

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