Even as one humanitarian crisis subsided in Iraq, another emerged in Somalia, an arid, impoverished, and turbulent failed state on the horn of Africa. Night after night international TV broadcast images of starving children covered with flies and dying in filth. On 15 August 1992, the U.S. launched Operation Provide Relief. Armed gangs quickly adapted their operations to steal these relief supplies This allowed tens of thousands in the country to continue starving. On 8 December 1992 the United States launched Operation Restore Hope. Heavily armed Marines and Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division were supported by Special Forces elements. The total force was 13000 strong in all. We will focus on the U.S involvement in this operation, the attack on the safe house, the battle of Mogadishu, and the role of the NCO in preparing Soldiers to conduct combat operations.

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