Courage under fire: Re-evaluating Black Hawk Down and the Battle of Mogadishu

Abstract

The current understanding of Black Hawk Down is based on two assumptions: allegations of tired tactics and claims by Somali National Alliance leader Mohammed Farrah Aideed. These assumptions, accepted without much analysis or supporting evidence, stem from analysing Black Hawk Down working backwards from after the event, with a predeterminant methodology. This article examines the causation objectively, showing these assumptions as evidentiary weak, and instead highlights the actions of another American unit, Team Courage, as a potential factor in the events of 3 October, universally overlooked thus far, prompting a reinterpretation of the existing narrative, the SNA as an enemy, and the veracity of Aideed’s claims.