Obama Sends 100 US Troops to Uganda to Help Combat Lord’s Resistance Army

ABC News ^ | 10 oct 2011 | Jake Tapper

[rellimpank]

ABC News’ Jake Tapper and Luis Martinez report:

Two days ago President Obama authorized the deployment to Uganda of approximately 100 combat-equipped U.S. forces to help regional forces “remove from the battlefield” – meaning capture or kill – Lord’s Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony and senior leaders of the LRA.

The forces will deploy beginning with a small group and grow over the next month to 100. They will ultimately go to Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the permission of those countries.

The president made this announcement in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Friday afternoon, saying that “deploying these U.S. Armed Forces furthers U.S. national security interests and foreign policy and will be a significant contribution toward counter-LRA efforts in central Africa.”

[dfwgator]

Joseph Kony is a monster - but this is a misuse of our precious warriors.

That being said, you can bet if he were a Muzzie, Obama would never have sent troops there.

[tumblindice]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-un3k2cudSs&feature=related

[BenLurkin]

AGREED!

[gathersnomoss]

Sending white boys to their death.

[dfwgator]

Heart of Darkness, Part Deux.

[Polynikes]

“Exactly how does this further U.S. national security interests.”
There are untapped oil reserves there and removal of oil producers that don't want to play nice,economically speaking. Namely Iran who now accepts euros as well as rupees for their oil instead of only dollars. Israel will move on Iran soon and the ME will get very hot for awhile so we are looking to cultivate other sources of oil for the future and hopefully displace China in the process.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Sudan#Oil
http://www.economist.com/node/15825780

[Neoliberalnot]

Joseph Kony is a monster”

So is Hussein obama.

[Tallguy]

If the mission is to “snatch” the leader of the “Lord’s Army” then I doubt that this is the familiar military training mission. They are putting Special Forces Operators in-country to gather intel for the purpose of taking direct military action using our military forces.

President Obama is totally caught up in playing Rambo.

[Notary Sojac]

100 troops.

Enough to get killed, not enough to really win.

Just like every other American "war" in the last fifty years.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

In that case, can we just deploy our armed forces to all the places in this country where we are not allowed to drill? It will be a lot cheaper and none of the boys in uniform will get killed doing the mission.

[Tallguy]

The so-called “Lord’s Resistance Army” is basically a large drug fueled gang which uses children as “soldiers”...

Kinda like the Democrats, dontcha think?

[BenLurkin]

The next stage of evolution of the ‘Rat party here in America.

[fireforeffect]

You might want to do a little research.

That the LRA are terrorist, there is no doubt.

Oh, and right next door is this country called the Democratic Republic of Congo. There they mine lots of uranium.

Terrorist and Uranium. Does that further U.S. national interest?

[ModelBreaker]

“Exactly how does this further U.S. national security interests. Do we trade anything with Uganda? Are they a regional partner with us? Enquiring minds want to know.”

I assume Zero has already started talking to Congress about getting War Powers Act authorization.

[Bon mots]

Two weeks after winning a Nobel Peace Prize, this bozo sends 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, sends troops and drones into Pakistan, Libya, Iran, Somalia, Yemen and now this...

Warmonger!
Where is Code Pink?

[Jacob Kell]

If I’m not mistaken, Uganda sent troops to Somalia to fight
the Al-Qaeda affiliate, al-Shabaab basically for us. This is our repaying them. Quid pro quo, one might say. Also, there’s Uranium and Oil in that part of Africa.

[qaz123]

that is exactly what is happening. treating thses guys like they’re the guys in Call of Duty. He sends in the Pro’s to go against the kids in the playground. Problem is, none of those kids has to be good, they ust have to be lucky with one bullet. All to show everyone how tough he is.

[Sarajevo]

Do we trade anything with Uganda?

Bodies. We utilized them as guards in at our bases in Iraq. They were cheap, and your tax dollars paid for that poor excuse of security.

IMO, this is a ploy by SOCEUR and AfriCom to make a name for themselves, much like was done in the Philippines in 04-05.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"That the LRA are terrorist, there is no doubt."

Okay, the LRA are terrorists, but have they ever threatened us in any way? I believe the answer is no. We can't go around the world destroying terrorists just because they are terrorists. The whole world's terrorist problems are not necessarily our terrorist problems. I feel for the people of Uganda, but I don't believe American blood should be shed for everyone else's terrorist problems.

"Oh, and right next door is this country called the Democratic Republic of Congo. There they mine lots of uranium."

So now a country that has no U.S. national interest to us borders a country that has uranium mines and all of the sudden that's in our national interests. When they start threatening those uranium mines, then it's in our national interests. However, I did not hear that as a reason given. This sounds tenous at best.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"If I’m not mistaken, Uganda sent troops to Somalia to fight the Al-Qaeda affiliate, al-Shabaab basically for us. This is our repaying them. Quid pro quo, one might say."

Well, that sounds like the best reasoning I've heard so far. I'm okay with that, but these guys better be advisors only. In the rear with the gear. However, if it's special forces I can see where they would not want to stay in the rear and may push themselves into the fray.