In 1991 , the United States initiated Operation Provide Relief ( UNOSOM I ) which was part of a United Nations ( UN ) endorsed effort called The Unified Task Force ( UNITAF ) , to provide humanitarian relief . In August 1992 , President George H. Bush sent , 25 @,@ 000 US troops ( mostly US Marines from I MEF ) to the Republic of Somalia and the mission was renamed Operation Restore Hope , also known as UNOSOM II . Its main objectives was to provide humanitarian relief , initiate ' nation building ' , disarm the various factions , restore law and order , help the people set up a representative government , and restore the infrastructure .