We are now at war, sort of, in Uganda
By Norman Leahy | Friday, October 14th, 2011 | InternationalOr at least with a particularly nasty Ugandan rebel leader:
President Obama notified Congress today that he is sending about 100 U.S. troops to central Africa to help battle a rebel group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army.
The troops arrived in Uganda this week and will ultimately be deployed to South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Obama said in a letter to congressional leaders.
The Lord’s Resistance Army is accused of a two-decade spree of murder, rape and kidnapping.
The troops will be combat-equipped, but will fight only in self-defense, Obama said
So add those countries to your list of global garden spots where American forces are in harm’s way.
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Norm Leahy has written about Virginia and national politics online since 2002, beginning with One Man's Trash (OMT), and continuing through Bacon's Rebellion (both the blog and the e-zine), Sic Semper Tyrannis, NBC12's Decision Virginia, Richmond.com and Tertium Quids. He is the chief blogger at "The Score" and a producer of "The Score" radio show as well as being a Washington Examiner contributor.
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28 Responses to "We are now at war, sort of, in Uganda"
These are Special Operations Forces (SOF), Special Forces, SEALS, etc, augmented by communications and logistics personnel. This will come as a shock to most civilians, but on any given day we have US SOF troops, sailors, and airmen operating in as many as one hundred different countries, just as we have military personnel from over a hundred different countries attending training at US military schools. I participated in one such Security Assistance mission in Argentina in 1988 where we were sent to help teach the Argentine Army how to train and operate under a democratic civilian government instead of taking over and starting regional wars. It is one of the most effective and beneficial uses of our military forces and pays huge dividends in advancing US national security interests.
Obama isn’t doing anything in Uganda that every president since Truman has done when he sent advisers to Greece after World War II to help stop a Communist insurrection on their northern border.
It’s not the facts of it just the hypocrisy of all these DNC affiliated groups sent out to whine and agitate any military action by a Repub president who then enforce a code of silence when a Dem President does the same thing. Where are the people asking “How many children could be fed with the money spent by Obama on foreign military adventures?”
I hear you, Val. It drives me up a wall to hear the liberals bleat about military spending when we spend more money on Social Security and Medicaid/Medicare every three weeks than we spend in a year in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.
Maybe another “hit” put out by Obama to track down and kill Joseph Kony, leader of the LRA, and his cronies responsible for a violating human rights in Central Africa? The dog is wagging again….
Who knows? Maybe its just Chicago mobsters sent overseas in crate boxes.
@ HR,
Key difference is that money spent on Social Security and Medicare is spent in the United States and in the American economy. Money spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, well are spent in Iraq and Afghanistan; not to mention the billions spent maintaining troops all around the world.
@ val,
What is ration of money spent on foreign excursions initiated by President Obama vs. money spent on foreign excursions initiated by President Bush? I think the wars in I&A have cost over $1.2 trillion, what did Lybia cost, $1 billion?
The Nobel committee is probably wanting a “do-over” since Obama has made a mockery of them and their “Peace Prize”. And, Obama didn’t even go to the UN before he put out the “hit”.
HisRoc is right on this one. Quite frankly, following what’s been going on over there for years, this is long overdue. I’ve from time to time put on my facebook the atrocities that have been going on but no comments ever. If it happens over there, who cares right?
What does the constitution say we should do before committing troops?
Ho Ho Ho Tor. You must be too young to remember that the Dems ALL supported the “good” war in Afghanistan including your hero. Or you suffer from leftist amnesia. Last time I checked Obama has been president since Jan 2009 and is responsible for all military spending since then. Perhaps you can tell me what percentage the wars contributed to the deficit between 2003 and Jan 2009? And then the percentage of the deficit attributable to the tax cuts to people above $250k during that same time period. Then you can tell me why Obama and the Dems didn’t repeal the Bush tax cuts in Jan 2009 and end the wars you worry about. Then you can explain why the Dems don’t sit out at Obama’s vacation home protesting the wars.
James,this is not a war, “committing troops”, but a good will action. HisRoc is right, it happens often and has for a long time.
“committing troops” and pushing pencils during an exercise are two totally different things. We’ve skewed our definitions so badly, even Republicans can’t clarify a war.
At least this got approval, but because its been done for the last 60 years doesn’t mean its alright. And because it happens often…it seems that it is happening more often.
My question is concerning the Lord’s Resistance Army…that is described as a radical religious group of about 300 individuals who creates genocide and child molestation in a country. All under a President that’s been in place on and off since 1986. Funny its a Christian group, and the President is associated with Marxism.
James,if Roosevelt had done the same thing when America didn’t want to get into another World War, could we have averted the Holocaust? Maybe not but we would have probably greatly reduced the numbers killed. There is another kind of holocaust going on over there. Just think about it.
Kathy,
You can justify unconstitutional actions with all kinds of anecdotal evidence.
John,
If it is unconstitutional, then take to the Supreme Court. Otherwise, put a sock in it. You Tea Party/Libertarians are an enormous bag of hot gas.
HisRoc,
That was well articulated…seems someone’s a little grumpy.
The Constitution has been shredded from the Left and the Right and all we get are stupid excuses for negating it. As the Left takes away our corporate rights, the Right takes away our civil liberties. Meanwhile, your everday American trying to do the right thing is screwed.
Can you name one thing that is upheld in the Bill of Rights? Sure. Separation of Church and State is upheld real well and it isn’t even in the Constitution.
Meanwhile, something as clear as:
“The Congress shall have Power…To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and makes Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water.”
…and we can’t even abide by that. But it’s typical to cherry pick the arguments to denigrate the Constitution.
Or resort to your method…name calling.
Does anyone know what the Lord’s Resistance Army’s crimes against humanity to deserve an assassination? They were accused of…
Or because they are Christians?
Meanwhile, an avowed Marxist like President Museveni, has been in power since 1986. There are concerns from the international community with his recent abolition of term limits. I guess if we bring down the opposition, then the Marxist, UN dictator will remain in power.
John, I know it sounds like Forrest Gump but, Christian is as Christian does. Kidnapping children for sex slavery, widespread rape, torture, acid burnings, disfigurement, and murder is not Christian.
On some levels you are right but exercises have been done without going into full war since WW11. Up until the internet age, much of what happened wasn’t known to the general public. Now everything is known immediately.
What’s amazing to me is the self-imposed blind eye of so many who call themselves Christian right here in America.
Kathy, I have to say that I entirely agree with you but the actions of my government and media have lost my blind faith.
Whether the extremist Christian group in Uganda is a valid decision, is not the point of my discussion. In 2009, the pleads of the Iranian people, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Arab Spring (Christian massacres) in Egypt, our Isreali friends, Libya and now Uganda haven’t secured my faith that my government has sided with Judeo-Christian or the liberties of people.
I also agree with the internet’s ability to make us all judge and jury.
But it has also shed some light in the discontent our political class have against their constituency. With the evil Christian Tea Partiers who cling to their God and Guns, the disgruntled healthcare terrorist, the police acting stupidly or the radical TP riots that scared Nancy Pelosi, I am very skeptical of my government.
As you and serving in the Armed Forces, I had that blind faith in the decisions they made and still would if I didn’t wake up.
You may believe my blind eye is toward the Christian killing children and I feel your blind eye is toward an out-of-control government. I use to have that blind faith as you do but now with the media propaganda and politician’s spin, they have lost that.
I feel like I’d been in a relationship, my government (and media) had that blind trust but they cheated on me…and they screwed me good. And you may wish to check on your government because they may be screwing around on you too. …you know men.
I agree with you Kathy on most fronts. I also think that if the action were to come before congress the actions would still take place.. My point is that the action should have been run through congress.
I guess we all need to pay more attention to what’s going on in Congress. http://www.satsentinel.org/blog/enough-and-citizen-journalist-brief-congress-evidence-ethnic-cleansing-sudan
John Jackson October 15, 2011 08:46 am
HisRoc,
That was well articulated…seems someone’s a little grumpy.
John,
I’m not grumpy. I’m just sick and tired of reading so much ignorant prattle from people whose knowledge of the Constitution seems to be based more on talk radio and conspiracy theory web sites than an actual academic study of the document, its history, and the applicable Supreme Court interpretations. The first thing that you learn in Constitutional History 101 is that the strength and endurance of the document is its flexibility and adaptability. The world has changed since 1787, don’t you think? And our Constitution has evolved with it. The Tea Partiers want to dump over 220 years of Constitutional History and go back to what they “think” the founders intended. What a recipe for disaster. Why do you think that the Constitution has only been amended 17 times in the 200+ years since the Bill of Rights was ratified? Why do you think that there has never been a Constitutional Convention in over 220 years as provided for in Article V?
BTW, you are correct, “separation of church and state” is not to be found anywhere in the Constitution, unless you interpret the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment as Thomas Jefferson did in his letter to the Danbury Baptists. And neither is there a protection of any type of medical procedure, including abortion, unless you interpret the Fourth Amendment to protect doctor-patient privacy as the Supreme Court has. Read some of the case law on both subjects and you might have a more informed opinion.
Gosh, I do hope that didn’t sound grumpy.
HisRoc,
Again, you have resorted to character assassination to make your point. While belittling others, you reference your academics, your government advisor or being a military officer while they all miss a very, important element…accountability.
What could be outdated about Congress debating whether our nation commits to war or our Federal Government practice separation of powers? It seems our deviation from these 1787 concepts have gotten our country into the situation its in. Is your argument because our nation has been doing it since… or because it happens all the time… Are these truly your argument?
My stance against abortion has nothing to do with separation of church and State but I’m glad that you’re developing my arguments. I’ve learnt that politics is more about technique than ideas and you have learned those techniques well. Let me know when you’re ready to have a two-way debate.
No, I realize that you’re not grumpy…that’s just who you are.
Here is President Obama’s letter to the speaker of the House for Congressional support.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/14/letter-president-speaker-house-representatives-and-president-pro-tempore
I wouldn’t risk my life to go over there and help those people and I don’t believe it is worth the lives of my children. So I wouldn’t send anyone else. I think if Congress and the President simply followed that rule of thumb, there would be a lot more Americans and fewer of our resources would have been expended elsewhere. America is supposed to be a shining light showing the world what a Republic should be. Not a global force for good, meddling in the internal affairs of nations which are unlikely to bring us harm.
JZ,
Damned right! Fortress America. Look how well that worked out in the 1920′s and 30′s.
BTW, do you know that we have created a US Africa Command and why we created it? Just asking.
I know I am usually very succinct in my responses here on BD usually followed with a back up link but if anyone would have taken the time to read the link they would have found:
“In the Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009, Public Law 111 172, enacted May 24, 2010, the Congress also expressed support for increased, comprehensive U.S. efforts to help mitigate and eliminate the threat posed by the LRA to civilians and regional stability.”
It was passed in May 24, 2010 by Congress.
Here is the link again:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/14/letter-president-speaker-house-representatives-and-president-pro-tempore
My son is in the Navy and I couldn’t be more proud of him. He’s really not in harm’s way right now but his ship, the USS George Washington is going to Thailand to help with the worst flooding ever recorded there. The Marines are there now and will work together with the Navy to help.
We are not an island. History has shown that the isolationist mentality has hurt us, not helped.
Kathy,
May God safeguard your son while he is deployed and return him to you whole. Thank you for raising him to understand the necessity of serving our country and giving back for the blessings of liberty that we enjoy.
Merle
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