Obama sends 100 troops to fight Ugandan rebels

[News_Editor]

Obama sends 100 troops to fight Ugandan rebels

2011-10-15 07:46:38 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday announced the deployment of around 100 U.S. special operations troops to Uganda to fight the rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

In a letter to Congress, Obama informed that in the next months further U.S. troops will be shipped out to other African countries as well, including South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

However, the President noted that although the deployed U.S. forces are combat-equipped, "they will only be providing information, advice and assistance to partner nation forces, and they will not themselves engage LRA forces unless necessary for self-defense."

In May 2010, President Obama signed into law the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act which reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to support regional partners' efforts to end the 'atrocities' committed by LRA in central Africa.

The United States' decision to send a group of military advisers to assist the forces that are countering the LRA, the U.S. State Department said, is part of the comprehensive, multi-year strategy that seeks to help mitigate and end the threat posed to civilians and regional stability by the LRA. 

The strategy outlined four strategic objectives for U.S. support, including the increased protection of civilians, the apprehension or removal of Joseph Kony and senior LRA commanders from the battlefield, the promotion of defections and support of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration of remaining LRA fighters and the provision of continued humanitarian relief to affected communities. 

The LRA, formed in the late 1980s, has operated for over 20 years and is known for having murdered, raped, and kidnapped tens of thousands of men, women and children.

Since 2008 alone, the LRA has killed more than 2,400 people and abducted more than 3,400 others. The United Nations estimates that over 380,000 people are displaced across the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan as a result of LRA activity.

Since 2008, the United States has provided over $40 million in critical logistical support, equipment and training to enhance counter-LRA operations by regional militaries. 

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-10-15

[flying]

Well at least this time he notified Congress

[Ulysses G.]

It sounds like the LRA deserve to be defeated, but the timing is somewhat questionable as far as being able to afford it.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[Credo]

Well at least this time he notified Congress

Congress only needs to read thaivisa.com to be informed of everything the President does!

[Steely Dan]

Lords resistance army - God help us, more religiously motivated nutcases?

[geriatrickid]

The Green Berets are not being sent to fight. Rather it is a case of the USA wondering where the $40million it previously provided went and sending some babysitters to help the locals and keep an eye on the foreign aid money.

[koheesti]

Did they run out of blue helmets?

[geriatrickid]

Did they run out of blue helmets?

Yes. And the request is from the local governments and human rights groups that have been asking for help for years. The UN was not overly accomodating of the requests.

100 US personnel will be spread out over Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Congo. Hardly a fighting force.

The LA Times reported as follows; In a letter notifying Congress on Friday, Obama said the goal of the U.S. mission was to assist regional African forces in removing "from the battlefield" the militia's leader, self-declared prophet Joseph Kony. But the U.S. troops will not fight unless fired upon, the letter said.The LA Times describes the militia as known for forcing abducted children to fight and for mutilating its victims, the Lord's Resistance Army has long been condemned by the U.S. and human rights organizations for atrocities against civilians.The militia keeps sex slaves, rapes women and has killed thousands of people. The dense jungle and lack of roads in the lawless border regions of northern Uganda have made it difficult for authorities to dismantle the rebel group and capture its messianic leader.

[TAWP]

Lords resistance army - God help us, more religiously motivated nutcases?

I wonder if some nutcases will take this as proof that Obama is a muslim in hiding.

[bonobo]

Lords resistance army - God help us, more religiously motivated nutcases?

The LRA's name is merely marketing at this stage of the game. They started as a weird offshoot of Christianity mixed with tribal beliefs and Acholi nationalism. The claim to follow the Ten Commendments. LRA fighters are told to rub shea oil on their bodies to protect them from bullets and to refrain from killing bees and snakes.

When the LRA, under Kony started escalating rape, dismemberment, murder, using child soldiers as cannon fodder, and the like, the more religious founders of the movement drew away from the LRA, which was the military arm of the movement.

Now, no one really knows what the LRA wants. It does not seem to seek political power nor have religious aims (although the do seem to target Christian churches in their killing sprees). There is just a ceaseless repetition of violence.

[maidu]

I've been hearing about Joseph Kony for a decade. He's a vicious gang leader who has terrorized a large portion of Central Africa for many years. Regional security troops in that area are either non-existent or out to lunch. Kudos to Obama for doing something tangible.

Did they run out of blue helmets?

UN troops would be ineffectual against such ruthless scum.

[midas]

Did they run out of blue helmets?

I am curious as to why it is always a cash strapped USA that has to be the one that steps in to these situations

and what is the danger/benefit to America in protecting Uganda against the Lord's Resistance Army?

I see that " China ranks second in investment in Uganda " and I'm sure they would be able to spare

a few hundred troops? Why do they never step into these situations to protect their interests and undertake these so called humanitarian roles?

China ranks second in investment in Uganda

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/08/content_12773999.htm

Edited October 16, 2011 by midas

[gl555]

Did they run out of blue helmets?

I am curious as to why it is always a cash strapped USA that has to be the one that steps in to these situations

and what is the danger/benefit to America in protecting Uganda against the Lord's Resistance Army?

I see that " China ranks second in investment in Uganda " and I'm sure they would be able to spare

a few hundred troops? Why do they never step into these situations to protect their interests and undertake these so called humanitarian roles?

China ranks second in investment in Uganda

http://news.xinhuane...nt_12773999.htm

Anti Americans are going scoff at my suggestion that maybe Americans always steps into situations like these because its the right thing to do? China? Forget about it.

[koheesti]

Did they run out of blue helmets?

I am curious as to why it is always a cash strapped USA that has to be the one that steps in to these situations

and what is the danger/benefit to America in protecting Uganda against the Lord's Resistance Army?

I see that " China ranks second in investment in Uganda " and I'm sure they would be able to spare

a few hundred troops? Why do they never step into these situations to protect their interests and undertake these so called humanitarian roles?

China ranks second in investment in Uganda

http://news.xinhuane...nt_12773999.htm

Does China trust its soldiers enough to give them live ammo?

[midas]

Did they run out of blue helmets?

I am curious as to why it is always a cash strapped USA that has to be the one that steps in to these situations

and what is the danger/benefit to America in protecting Uganda against the Lord's Resistance Army?

I see that " China ranks second in investment in Uganda " and I'm sure they would be able to spare

a few hundred troops? Why do they never step into these situations to protect their interests and undertake these so called humanitarian roles?

China ranks second in investment in Uganda

http://news.xinhuane...nt_12773999.htm

Anti Americans are going scoff at my suggestion that maybe Americans always steps into situations like these because its the right thing to do? China? Forget about it.

it is not necessary for someone to be anti-American as you put it to legitimately ask the question whether stepping into

Iraq and Libya was also the right thing to do?

Edited October 16, 2011 by midas

[gl555]

Did they run out of blue helmets?

I am curious as to why it is always a cash strapped USA that has to be the one that steps in to these situations

and what is the danger/benefit to America in protecting Uganda against the Lord's Resistance Army?

I see that " China ranks second in investment in Uganda " and I'm sure they would be able to spare

a few hundred troops? Why do they never step into these situations to protect their interests and undertake these so called humanitarian roles?

China ranks second in investment in Uganda

http://news.xinhuane...nt_12773999.htm

Anti Americans are going scoff at my suggestion that maybe Americans always steps into situations like these because its the right thing to do? China? Forget about it.

it is not necessary for someone to be anti-American as you put it to legitimately ask the question whether stepping into

Iraq and Libya was also the right thing to do?

Libya I think right. Iraq is debatable. But we're talking about Uganda here.

[maidu]

Did they run out of blue helmets?

I am curious as to why it is always a cash strapped USA that has to be the one that steps in to these situations

and what is the danger/benefit to America in protecting Uganda against the Lord's Resistance Army?

I see that " China ranks second in investment in Uganda " and I'm sure they would be able to spare

a few hundred troops? Why do they never step into these situations to protect their interests and undertake these so called humanitarian roles?

China ranks second in investment in Uganda

http://news.xinhuane...nt_12773999.htm

Simple answer to your rhetorical question:

US often goes out of its way to assist those less fortunate. Sometimes it makes mistakes, but usually the intentions are noble.

In contrast, Chinese authorities don't lift a finger to help others outside China.

[Scott]

A little off-topic, but they don't always lift a finger to help those in China either.

[SAffer]

America is still missing the boat here, IMHO, Zimbabwe is the biggest problem in that part of the world. The Ugandan problem is kind of like the Thai South, except for them it's in the North... Ironically near the Sudanese border. Unlike Zimbabwe, the Ugandan problems are pretty localised, and the government are doing their best to right the wrongs of Amin.

I think it's ok to send a hundred or so troops to advise the Ugandans on how to deal with this persistent, though not widespread problem... but why does no-one lift a finger to help the poor Zimbabweans?

[EnSvenskTiger]

A little off-topic, but they don't always lift a finger to help those in China either.

Whow!

Now thers a "moderator"! LOL!

You care to give us some proof of this please?

Tiger

OK! I wouldnt think so.

[Scott]

As stated, a little off-topic. Further comment would be completely off-topic.