Obama sends troops to Africa to counter rebels

President Barack Obama said Friday he's dispatching roughly 100 U.S. troops to central Africa to help battle the Lord's Resistance Army, which the administration accuses of a campaign of murder, rape and kidnapping children that spans two decades.

In a letter to Congress, Obama said the troops will act as advisers in efforts to hunt down rebel leader Joseph Kony but will not engage in combat except in self-defense.

The White House said the first troops arrived in Uganda on Wednesday. Ultimately, they'll also deploy in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Long considered one of Africa's most brutal rebel groups, the Lord's Resistance Army began its attacks in Uganda more than 20 years ago but has been pushing westward.

The administration and human rights groups say its atrocities have left thousands dead and have put as many as 300,000 Africans to flight. They have charged the group with seizing children to bolster its ranks of soldiers and sometimes forcing them to become sex slaves.

Kony is wanted by the International Criminal Court under a 2005 warrant for crimes against humanity in his native Uganda.

Obama's announcement came in low-key fashion -- a letter to House Speaker John Boehner in which he said the deployment "furthers U.S. national security interests and foreign policy and will be a significant contribution toward counter-LRA efforts in central Africa."

The deployment drew support from Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., who has visited the region.

"I have witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by the LRA, and this will help end Kony's heinous acts that have created a human rights crisis in Africa," he said in a statement. "I have been fervently involved in trying to prevent further abductions and murders of Ugandan children, and today's action offers hope that the end of the LRA is in sight."

But Obama's letter stressed the limited nature of the deployment.

"Our forces will provide information, advice and assistance to select partner nation forces," it said. "Although the U.S. forces are combat-equipped, they will ... not themselves engage LRA forces unless necessary for self-defense."

Joseph Kony, Aug. 3, 2006.

/ AP Photo

State Department officials portrayed the deployment as part of a larger strategy to combat the group that dates to the Bush administration but also includes legislation passed by Congress this year.

Victoria Nuland, a department spokeswoman, said the U.S. troops will aid in "pursuing the LRA and seeking to bring top commanders to justice." The broader effort includes encouraging rebel fighters to defect, disarm and return to their homes, she said.

The administration briefed human rights activists ahead of the announcement, and their officials were encouraged.

"These advisers can make a positive difference on the ground by keeping civilians safe and improving military operations to apprehend the LRA's top commanders," said Paul Ronan, director of the group Advocacy at Resolve.

[iPhoney]

Democrat Wars GOOD

Republican Wars BAD


Some are MORE Equal than Others...

[ImaJWalker]

100% PROOF OBAMA IS A LIAR - US Veterans against the war

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQd5nbtyBkQ

Please watch this. Then vote Ron Paul in 2012

RON PAUL is EXPLODING (REMASTERED) - Jon Stewart Trust Today 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0mnATGwCkY&feature=related

[rwi79]

The LRA is esitmated to have as many as 3000 members, if you are going to put troops in Obama, at least put enough in to make a difference. I just dont want to see 100 of our guys in there with little chance of success.

[swslr]

I wondered how long before President Black Obama invaded Africa to start his own war. President Kennedy sent "advisors" to Vietnam and it eventually lead to the War in Vietnam. I wonder if the Queen of State (Mrs.Clinton) influenced the president to redeam her husband (President Clinton)for his failed mission in Somalia back in the '80's. The Africans don't want us there and we have no business being there. Obama gets the military out of Iraq so he can send them to Africa to defend the "advisors" he is about to send in.

[randomlybanned]

Obama was elected as the anti-war president...amazing how many Americans fell for that bullhockey! Oh, and he's closing Guantanamo Bay.

[oldman67]

If you believe this is the reason you may need professional help.

[euge005]

I must agree with the detrators on this one. Yes these are bad people, but we do not even arrest our own war criminals. Yes it is a good thing to go after these evil men. But it not our job and Obama did not get approval from the House under the constitution. He is wrong and this must stop. Period. Now.

[sloppy-mcjohnson]

When are we going to stop being the police force for the entire ungrateful world? Let's see how many of these brave troops get killed over there fighting Obama's battles.

[courtneymcguire]

The bill that this coincides with is bipartisan, and was passed through the efforts of hundreds of thousands of US citizens. Joseph Kony started as a religious leader trying to overthrow the government of Uganda back in the late 80's/early 90's. Since then, he has lost all support of the citizens, has abducted, killed and displaced thousands in Northern Uganda, and has began to shifting the location of this war of madness to surrounding countries. His only motive is survival; he is using brutal attacks, abductions and desensitization to fuel this war, and after 25 years, it has to stop.

Please take a look at www.lracrisistracker.com, if nothing more than to see a different perspective. I really appreciate the fact that people are even aware of this issue!

[Samlv]

We should not be in ANY country for ANY fighting without declaring war.

Congress has failed us, for several decades, but not making that crystal clear.

And, if you want to just run off and send troops somewhere, how about Mexico?

And, why not a dozen drones instead?