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Obama's new African adventure: Hunting LRA

Caustic Logic

Illuminator
C
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
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From the little I know, they sound like scum and I'm not opposed to this.
President Barack Obama is sending about 100 U.S. troops to Africa to help hunt down the leaders of the notoriously violent Lord's Resistance Army in and around Uganda.
"I have authorized a small number of combat-equipped U.S. forces to deploy to central Africa to provide assistance to regional forces that are working toward the removal of Joseph Kony from the battlefield," Obama said in letter sent Friday to House Speaker John Boehner and Daniel Inouye, the president pro tempore of the Senate. Kony is the head of the Lord's Resistance Army.
Click to expand...
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/14/world/africa/africa-obama-troops/

However...

I wonder what interests, if any, are at stake. And will this help break their spell really, or is it likely to aggravate things, or make the LRA more popular?

And while I understand the governments of the countries whose territory this will be fought on (Uganda by and large) are also opposed to the LRA, but they might be worried about what more foreign intervention in Africa at this time means. At the least, it might make them look too weak to handle the problem, or too subservient, or something.

And the timing so close after the child sacrifice business revelations... that tickles a nerve, but no sneeze yet.
 
It probably isn't a good move, but not a bad move either. Not good because the presence of US advisers traditionally has never ended conflicts in a hurry.

In this case I think Obama was looking for something to improve his relations with Africa since the Libyan debacle. His family connections might make him more inclined to consider limited risk gambles in this region.

The timing might have something to do with the rather frosty reception the Iranian allegations have been met with around the globe.
 
Clearly Obama is revealing his true Muslim colours by declaring war on Christians.
 
On yesterday's The World program, they mentioned that many human-rights advocates and leaders from around the world applauded the decision, and that they have been pressuring the US for some time to take some action against the LRA.

That being said, I admit I was mildly shocked by this action. One can look at it as entirely a political move... Rather cynically. ("The Republicans won't be able to say we're soft on defense!")
But I really can't see that; Obama has pretty much proved his "defense" creds by now.

Currying favor with African nations? Well... OK....But why? We haven't done a whole lot of that up to this point.
There are lots of bad guys in the world....
 
Edited by Tricky: 
Edited for response to modded post.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Undesired Walrus said:
The Libyan debacle? You mean the ousting of a brutal and ruthless dictator and the establishment of a pro-democracy transitional government?
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Well, Africa by and large is unhappy with it. Libya was a big wheel for African unity. The AU tried to broker peace deals that were ignored, and have warned this might be the start of a European re-colonization of Africa.

So vis-a-vis Africa, it was pretty much a debacle. Obama doing something they agree with might help ease those tensions.
 
Caustic Logic said:
Well, Africa by and large is unhappy with it. Libya was a big wheel for African unity. The AU tried to broker peace deals that were ignored, and have warned this might be the start of a European re-colonization of Africa.

So vis-a-vis Africa, it was pretty much a debacle. Obama doing something they agree with might help ease those tensions.
Click to expand...

Even if this is true all it says is that people who didn't have to suffer under the dictator (because they lived in other countries) supported him for purely selfish reasons.

And anyone that thinks this is the start of recolonizing Africa is on some sort of drug.
 
"...an initial team of combat-equipped U.S. military personnel was sent to Uganda on October 12th and additional forces – including a second combat-equipped team and personnel for headquarters, communications and logistics – would be sent during the next month. In total, Obama said about 100 service personnel would be deployed."
- which I took from this source.


The scenario I've got in my head is that the military personnel are there to locate Joseph Kony. At which point some military personnel in, perhaps, Nevada will do the drone thing.

I think it's an op to whack the leader in the hope that the organisation falls apart. It won't be 'clean' in the way that word buzzes around the media, but I hope it works.

If that's the game-plan, and it works, it'd be a game-changer and it's that which is to be thought about. If Kony's as big a religio-nutter as is being suggested I'm sure there's someone round these parts that could at least get a few bucks for a tin-foil hat ;)
 
There are many reasons this is a good mission. One factor is that Uganda has sent thousands of warriors to fight al-Shabab in Somalia, so it makes sense that the U.S. has sent the special forces in to help them at home. With the LRA destroyed Uganda will be much stronger on that front.

They've wanted to do this for awhile but apparently Green Berets and Navy SEALs don't grow on trees and they weren't available until now. If there is a shred of sanity in any of they LRA they are shaking in their boots at this news that there are 100 special forces troops helping the Ugandans.

(AP) Analysis: Why set US troops on African bush fighters? Possible political payback for Somalia
 
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