Friday, October 14, 2011

Why Are US Combat Troops Going To Uganda?

Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army Joseph Kony (L) and his deputy Vincent Otti attend a meeting with U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland at Ri-Kwamba in southern Sudan November 12, 2006. (Reuters/Stuart Price)

LRA leader Joseph Kony: Why Obama Sent US Troops To Uganda To Get Him -- Howard LaFranchi, Christian Science Monitor

The feared group LRA is responsible for the murder and rape of thousands in Central Africa. Siding with interventionist advisers, Obama sent the US troops to help remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield.

By sending 100 US troops to Uganda to help in the battle against one of Central Africa’s most violent and feared armed groups, President Obama is once again siding with those in his administration who favor American intervention against the world’s worst violators of human rights.

On Friday Mr. Obama informed Congress that he has dispatched the “combat-equipped US forces” to assist regional forces in their fight against the Lord’s Resistance Army, a group that has murdered, kidnapped, and raped thousands of Central African civilians and which Obama says continues to commit “atrocities” across several African countries.

Read more ....

Update:
100 U.S. troops deploying to take on LRA -- Passport/Foreign Policy

Previous Post: U.S. Combat Troops Deployed To Uganda

My Comment: Only 100 special forces soldiers are being sent .... but something inside of me is telling me that this is going to get bigger as time passes by. Africa's tribal wars have been ongoing for years, and this U.S. involvement is not going to change the situation on the ground. In fact .... it may aggravate it as others may see it for what it is .... another US military intervention in a war that it has no business being involved in. But my opinion is in the minority, as others are now applauding this move by President Obama (See here and here).

1 comment:

Philip said...

It will get bigger - it has to.

Air transport will be needed.

Military aid will be provided, which means more trainers. Contract personnel, more than likely.

Factor in a humanitarian aid element. Which means something equivalent to the Provisional Reconstruction Teams seen in Afghanistan: medical, engineering and construction, logistics, etc.

One might suppose the US State Department would get involved, but since it's a hostile fire area...

Oh, and money.