| The Carter administration’s policy towards Somalia is in a state of change,roughly going through three stages: adjustment,predicament,and transformation.In the 1960 s,the United States’ policy towards Somalia was mainly to provide certain economic assistance and political guidance to maintain its pro-Western orientation.However,due to obstacles in US Ethiopian relations,Somalia was unable to meet its weapons needs,and soon turned to the Soviet camp after Siad Barre took power.Against the backdrop of the US Soviet detente in the 1970 s,superpowers shifted their perspective to the Third World.Therefore,under the guidance of regionalist policies,Carter attempted to improve relations with Somalia through certain defensive weapons assistance.Due to the proximity of the Soviet Union to Ethiopia,Siad also began to show goodwill to the United States and promised to launch an invasion of the Ogaden region using American weapons.Faced with this war,the Soviet Union initially mediated between Ethiopia and Somalia,hoping to maintain its influence and later separated from Somalia and provided large-scale aid to Ethiopia.The United States announced an arms embargo on Somalia out of respect for the principles of African borders,but this decision has sparked heated debate within the government and criticism of Carter by conservative forces in the country.The large-scale intervention of the Soviet Union,debates within the government,criticism from Congress and the media,and pressure from regional allies have become difficulties for the Carter administration in formulating policies for Somalia.After the war ended,the Carter administration resumed weapons negotiations with Somalia,attempting to use weapons commitments to contain Somalia’s territorial claims,but with little effect.With the intensification of Soviet Union expansion and changes in the situation in the Indian Ocean region,the government gradually changed its previous stance and no longer emphasized human rights violations and the Ogaden issue in Somalia.Siad achieved his wish by receiving assistance from the United States while supporting the Ogaden rebels.The achievement of the "Arms for Base Access" agreement in 1980 marked a shift in the Carter administration’s policy towards Somalia,and the relationship between the United States and Somalia as a weapons supplier and arms customer was ultimately formed. |
