The Society for Military History

Texas A&M University

Professor Brian Linn

Military History
Operations Other Than War

"God's Work in Hell": Intervening in Somalia, 1992-1995

Jonathan Carroll is a military historian PhD Candidate with the Department of History, specializing in military history from the American and French Revolutions to the present day. A native of the Republic of Ireland, Jonathan graduated with a Law Degree in 2015, and completed his Master’s in Military History and Strategic Studies in 2016, both from Maynooth University. His research interests include military operations other than war (MOOTW) focusing on military interventions, low-intensity conflict, and counterinsurgency. His current research project, God’s Work in Hell, explores the intervention in Somalia from 1992-1995 by UNOSOM/UNITAF moving away from the current dominance of Black Hawk Down to establish what happened during this experiment in the world’s first failed state. His research argues that Somalia was a preview of Iraq and Afghanistan during the War on Terror. Before coming to Texas A&M Jonathan taught at the Defence Forces Military College, and is a former service member with the Infantry Corps of the Defence Forces. As such he also researches and writes on Irish defense policy.