The Case of Liberia

Question 1

How did global law enforcement tools shape Liberia’s conflict resolution?

Answer 1

Sanctions, indictments, and economic governance reforms weakened war economy actors and helped remove Charles Taylor. (Atkinson, 2008)

Question 2

What was the main weakness of the intervention in Liberia, according to Atkinson?

Answer 2

While effective in regime change, it failed to reform democratic institutions, resulting in corruption and “liddism.” (Atkinson, 2008)

Question 3

What coordination problems did Scott et al. identify in Liberia’s peace efforts?

Answer 3

UN and ECOWAS pursued conflicting approaches, subordinating humanitarian aims to political-military agendas. (Scott et al., 1995)

Question 4

What reforms do Scott et al. recommend for future interventions?

Answer 4

Better UN-regional integration, independent humanitarian coordination, and more NGO autonomy in conflict zones. (Scott et al., 1995)

Question 5

How does Marriage describe the relationship between aid and violence?

Answer 5

Both are political acts justified through moral rhetoric; war conditions often prevent aid from being truly humanitarian. (Marriage, 2007)

Question 6

What is the ‘humanitarian fantasy’ in Marriage’s critique?

Answer 6

NGOs create illusions of success through selective reporting and control of information, masking failure and complicity. (Marriage, 2007)