Introduction

The Mano River Union States of Liberia and Sierra Leone offer appropriate case studies for critical reflections on the impact of post–Cold War U.S. foreign policy on the peace and security of West Africa. The plunging of these two states into violent conflicts in 1989 and 1991 brought to the fore the horrendous character of post-Cold War intrastate conflicts and the halfhearted international response to the attendant catastrophes. The realities of these situations contradict two major post–Cold War arguments: (a) that the post–Cold War era would elongate the corridors of peace in Africa, and (b) that the post–Cold War period would be marked by active U.S. involvement in tackling the intractable problems of economic development, conflict resolution, and democracy in Africa.

These counter-arguments are largely informed by the halfhearted response of the United States to the atrocious nature of these two West African conflicts. The period under review witnessed international peace-keeping involvement in African conflicts. In the Liberian case in particular, the American response to the conflicts seems incredible to many West Africans, considering the long-standing historical relationship between the two states. The skeptic's view that, in spite of the end of the Cold War, perceived national interests will always influence states' responses to international development deserves serious consideration.

This chapter argues that the halfhearted post–Cold War foreign policy of the United States toward Liberia and Sierra Leone impacts in diverse ways on the peace and security of the West African subregion.