In the Aftermath of Genocide: The U.S. Role in Rwanda [Paperback]

Robert Gribbin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

In the Aftermath of Genocide: The U.S. Role in Rwanda deepens understanding of the violence--the Rwandan genocide and the Congolese war--that engulfed Central Africa in the midnineties, and America's policy response to the crises. Author Robert E. Gribbin draws on his thirty years of diplomatic experience in the region to analyze U.S. perceptions of Rwanda in the years before the genocide and to recount the unfolding of the terrible event itself. Most important, he describes what happened afterwards--how the new government and people of Rwanda, together with their international partners, confronted devastation, picked up the pieces, and began to forge a new nation. They had to reestablish viable government, deliver justice to those guilty of genocide, repatriate over a million refugees, and confront an insurgency at home and a war in the Congo. In the Aftermath of Genocide is an insider's account of these crucial events. It recounts what the U.S. government knew, or did not know, and what it did, or did not do, about them.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert E. Gribbin served twice in Rwanda, once before and once after the genocide. He was U.S. ambassador from 1995 to 1999. Now retired, in addition to consulting, writing, and teaching about Africa, he undertakes short-term diplomatic postings to the continent he knows so well.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595344119
• ISBN-13: 978-0595344116
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,275,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for Africanists, April 22, 2005

By 

Don Heflin - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Aftermath of Genocide: The U.S. Role in Rwanda (Paperback)

An outstanding contribution to the literature on Rwanda. There have been several good books about the 1994 genocide, but Gribbin's book stands out as the best source on the post-genocide era. His observations on the 1996-7 war in Eastern Zaire, which drove Mobutu from power and put the Kabilas in the presidency in Kinshasa, are especially valuable. These times remain a controversial topic, and it's essential to get the viewpoint of an American diplomat in the field, which Gribbin ably provides. The book is well-written and an enjoyable read, even though it deals with serious subjects. No student of Rwanda, the Congo or genocide should be without it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Benchmark Work on Rwanda, February 10, 2006

By 

Thomas P. Odom "Tom" (DeRidder, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Aftermath of Genocide: The U.S. Role in Rwanda (Paperback)

I take great pleasure in writing this review as Bob Gribbin was my Ambassador for the last 3 months of my own tour as the US Defense Attache in Rwanda from 1994-1996. Much tripe concerning US roles in Rwanda and the Congo War has been offered directly to the US Congress or in the press, various blogs, and even in some published works.

This book has many strengths. First it offers more than the title implies: Ambassador Gribbin's previous assigments in Rwanda and Uganda provide critical insights into the workings of the RPF and Museveni's Uganda. Second it is both concise and personal. I read the book cover to cover in 2 evenings. The Rwandan Genocide is still a very personal issue to me. Bob captures its horrors well and yet manages to offer very balanced interpretations of its causes and its effects. Finally, it is without doubt the authoritative account of the 1996-1998 events in Rwanda and Zaire (now the DRC). I am proud to have worked for Ambassador Gribbin and I am proud to have his book in my library.

Sincerely,
Thomas P. Odom
Author, Journey into Darkness: Genocide in Rwanda, Texas A&M University Press, 2005

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable source on post-conflict Rwanda, June 14, 2005

By 

Larry Lesser (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Aftermath of Genocide: The U.S. Role in Rwanda (Paperback)

The world watched in horror as Rwanda descended into hellish barbarism. And after the violence ended, what then? That is Gribbin's subject, written from the perspective of the U.S. ambassador -- the embodiment of U.S. policy in the post-conflict period. His book is filled with exotic names and places, probably more than the non-expert can keep up with. (And the skimpy index is not much help.) Nevertheless, this pioneering book provides a depth of detail and an appreciation for the complexities of nation building under mind-bogglingly challenging conditions. It will be an indispensable resource for the student of the Rwandan tragedy or, more broadly, as a case study on the death -- and, we hope, rebirth -- of a modern nation-state.