[quote]
[IMG]http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2011/10/13/2011101374821848734_20.jpg[/IMG]
[B]The LRA was formed in 1987 and is engaged in an armed rebellion against the Ugandan government [EPA]
[/B]
US President Barack Obama has announced he is deploying 100 "combat-equipped" troops to Uganda to help efforts against rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), who Washington accuse of grievous human rights abuses.
The US troops, subject to the approval of national authorities, could also deploy from Uganda into South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo, Obama said in a message to Congress.
LRA rebels are accused of murdering, raping and kidnapping thousands of people in the four nations.
Tens of thousands of people have died in their 20-year war with security forces in northern Uganda.
"These forces will act as advisors to partner forces that have the goal of removing from the battlefield Joseph Kony and other senior leadership of the LRA," Obama said, but warned they would not lead the fighting themselves.
"Although the US forces are combat-equipped, they will only be providing information, advice, and assistance to partner nation forces.
"They will not themselves engage LRA forces unless necessary for self-defence. All appropriate precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of US military personnel during their deployment."
The president said a small group of troops deployed on Wednesday and that additional forces will deploy over the next month.
Kony is accused of war crimes and wanted by the International Criminal Court.
The civil war effectively ended in 2006 when a peace process was launched, but Kony and his top commanders continue to commit atrocities in remote areas of neighbouring countries.
General Carter Ham, the head of US Africa Command, said last week that his best estimate was that Kony was probably in the Central African Republic.[/quote]
Source: [url]http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/20111014174712102972.html[/url]
I could have sworn we were trying to pull out of these places.
Wasn't Obama the one that said we would be ending wars, not starting them?
At least for once there's a decent reason to go there.
it seems to be the whole continent of Africa is getting a political clean up
say what you want, but i think this is actually a good cause to send troops in for
[QUOTE=Kopimi;32781651]Wasn't Obama the one that said we would be ending wars, not starting them?[/QUOTE]
wait, silly me, i didn't read that part properly
[QUOTE]General Carter Ham[/QUOTE]
I cannot get over that name. It's quite hilarious, for some reason.
But, yeah, this is pretty good, I guess. These LRA seem the disagreeable type. Though I myself think that these soldiers aren't likely to do much.
[QUOTE=XanaToast.;32781678]they are ending a war, this is a rebellion against a hidiously corupt government[/QUOTE]
They're still throwing troops into more and more countries despite his claims to the contrary during his election.
I'm at least glad that we're helping a country that actually needs help, I just like pointing out whenever a politician contradicts themselves.
[quote]Uganda continues to experience difficulty in advancing respect for human rights in matters concerning torture, child labor, and liberties. There are as many as thirteen 'security' organizations of the Museveni government, some directly answerable to the President and not constitutionally based and established by Act of Parliament.[/quote]
Hey Obama, thanks for proving me right when I said that barely anything would actually change when you were elected!
This isn't starting a war, it's providing training to security forces, like what the CIA did with Al-Qaeda, lots of latin American countries and so on
Hopefully it ends at the US sending a handful of "advisers".
Though, given Obama's war track record, I expect this to mature into yet another CIA shadow drone war front.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_deployments[/url]
The US Army is already deployed to literally dozens of countries in a similar role
3 500 troops in Djibouti
8 000 troops in Qatar
10 000 troops in Kuwait
100 troops in Uganda is nothing
[QUOTE=Cone;32781682]These LRA seem the disagreeable type. [/QUOTE]
No substantial difference between the two.
Like the Taliban and NA all over again.
(other than whether they support the US or not)
[editline]15th October 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=smurfy;32781744][url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_deployments[/url]
The US Army is already deployed to literally dozens of countries in a similar role[/QUOTE]
Wow, we only have 140 US soldiers at Pine Gap?
I thought it'd be more.
Probably doesn't include the classified bits, I suppose.
[QUOTE=Contag;32781747]No substantial difference between the two.
Like the Taliban and NA all over again.
(other than whether they support the US or not)[/QUOTE]
Well... that's less people to have to shoot, I guess. At least, allied with one side, you can help them then negotiate.
Title is misleading, I wouldn't call them combat troops
[QUOTE=smurfy;32781783]Title is misleading, I wouldn't call them combat troops[/QUOTE]
They're armed and trained, apparently. And they will act in self-defense if neccessary, though they are meant as advisors.
Do they still count as combat troops if they're troops prepared for combat but they aren't actually going into anything?
[QUOTE=Kopimi;32781697]They're still throwing troops into more and more countries despite his claims to the contrary during his election.
I'm at least glad that we're helping a country that actually needs help, I just like pointing out whenever a politician contradicts themselves.[/QUOTE]
as a politician, situations change along the way, and you need to know how to act at that time
[QUOTE=Kopimi;32781651]Wasn't Obama the one that said we would be ending wars, not starting them?
At least for once there's a decent reason to go there.[/QUOTE]
In my opinion, Obama is doing the right thing, and doing what bush should have done. He's deploying small special forces groups, so combat small militants groups. You don't deploy a massive army to go to war against a much smaller group.
Seriously??!! Iran, China, North Korea, now we're getting into Africa?! When will this country stop trying to police the whole world? We have our own problems to deal with!
Hello, Vietnam.
At least the premise is better than "fighting commies" this time around.
[QUOTE=XanaToast.;32781678]they are ending a war, this is a rebellion against a hidiously corupt government[/QUOTE]
Who the troops are going to be supporting.
And did he get Congressional approval?
This seems like general peacekeeping blown out of proportion.
It reminds me of this:
[video=youtube;Y6FB1xwbQR0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6FB1xwbQR0[/video]
[QUOTE=faze;32781880]Seriously??!! Iran, China, North Korea, now we're getting into Africa?! When will this country stop trying to police the whole world? We have our own problems to deal with![/QUOTE]
I think the global policing efforts are acually kind of admirable. The execution's been terrible, but it's a noble thing to want to help everyone the world-over.
And, besides, it isn't that many resources being devoted. Just 100 troops who won't even directly be in the line of fire. They're just going to help, nothing more.
I support this. Uganda has a lot of horrible things going on within its borders. The LRA kidnaps children, and takes them to 'the bush' where they are forced to kill their friends and loved ones, and watch others be brutally killed, in order to harden them. Then they are used as soldiers. It's a horrible thing that needs to be stopped.
On a similar note, if anyone wants to know more about what goes on in Uganda, I suggest watching the Invisible Children documentary. It talks about what the LRA does, and gives a pretty solid inside look at life inside Uganda for children, who live in fear pretty much all the time.
This is how it should be always done.
[QUOTE=XanaToast.;32781652]it seems to be the whole continent of Africa is getting a political clean up[/QUOTE]
Not actually, the parts not included in news broadcasts are still shitholes but shitholes without coverage.
[QUOTE=faze;32781880]Seriously??!! Iran, China, North Korea, now we're getting into Africa?! When will this country stop trying to police the whole world? We have our own problems to deal with![/QUOTE]
US troops are in Iran, China, and North Korea?
The US has been involved in Africa for quite a while now, there, faze.
[QUOTE=Regulas021;32781948]US troops are in Iran, China, and North Korea?
The US has been involved in Africa for quite a while now, there, faze.[/QUOTE]China and Iran are imminent. China is declaring war on Vietnam, and Iran, well you know all about that. North Korea will happen in time also.
[QUOTE=Cone;32781919]I think the global policing efforts are acually kind of admirable. The execution's been terrible, but it's a noble thing to want to help everyone the world-over.
And, besides, it isn't that many resources being devoted. Just 100 troops who won't even directly be in the line of fire. They're just going to help, nothing more.[/QUOTE]No, it's not admirable when you're out trying to push your beliefs on others, while crippling your own economy in the process. This jackass we have in office promised us that we'd be out of this b/s bloodbath of a war long ago, and now we're going to be in Afghanistan until 2024, and now we're getting into new fronts. Fuck Obama.
[QUOTE=faze;32781987]China and Iran are imminent. China is declaring war on Vietnam, and Iran, well you know all about that. North Korea will happen in time also.
No, it's not admirable when you're out trying to push your beliefs on others, while crippling your own economy in the process. This jackass we have in office promised us that we'd be out of this b/s bloodbath of a war long ago, and now we're going to be in Afghanistan until 2024, and now we're getting into new fronts. Fuck Obama.[/QUOTE]
Wow. It's 100 troops. 100. and if you would look at the disgusting things going on in Uganda, you'd understand that 100 is actually a really small number. But regardless of the size, it's going to help the Ugandan government fight back against a group that kills innocent people, kidnaps and tortures children, and causes their society to live in fear, all without a second thought.
[QUOTE=Capitulazyguy;32781905]Who the troops are going to be supporting.
And did he get Congressional approval?[/QUOTE]
Doesn't need it. War Powers Resolution allows the president to make "deployments which relate solely to supply, replacement, repair, or training"
If the troops "command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or accompany" any Ugandan forces then there is a problem
[QUOTE=Atlascore;32782038]Pftt... AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHHAHAHHAA..
Did you really believe that "news article" about China wanting war with Vietnam was real? It was an opinion piece you idiot.
And when has China ever said anything about Iran?[/QUOTE]
The Afghanistan until 2024 thing was fairly unsubstantiated as well
If you're losing your job you might aswell fuck shit up before you leave.
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