Pirate's Cove

Well, not just Uganda, but other African nations, because the target of POTUS’ operation operates in other countries, such as Congo, South Sudan, and the C.A.R. He was nice enough to notify Congress, this time in a letter to Speaker Boehner

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

For more than two decades, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has murdered, raped, and kidnapped tens of thousands of men, women, and children in central Africa. The LRA continues to commit atrocities across the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan that have a disproportionate impact on regional security. Since 2008, the United States has supported regional military efforts to pursue the LRA and protect local communities. Even with some limited U.S. assistance, however, regional military efforts have thus far been unsuccessful in removing LRA leader Joseph Kony or his top commanders from the battlefield. 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.

In furtherance of the Congress’s stated policy, 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. I believe 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.

On October 12, the initial team of U.S. military personnel with appropriate combat equipment deployed to Uganda. During the next month, additional forces will deploy, including a second combat-equipped team and associated headquarters, communications, and logistics personnel. The total number of U.S. military personnel deploying for this mission is approximately 100. 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. Our forces will provide information, advice, and assistance to select partner nation forces. Subject to the approval of each respective host nation, elements of these U.S. forces will deploy into Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The support provided by U.S. forces will enhance regional efforts against the LRA. However, although the U.S. forces are combat equipped, they will only be providing information, advice, and assistance to partner nation forces, and they will not themselves engage LRA forces unless necessary for self defense. All appropriate precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of U.S. military personnel during their deployment.

I have directed this deployment, which is in the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive. I am making this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93 148). I appreciate the support of the Congress in this action.

Anyone else get the feeling that this letter was sent simply to be rather smartassed, based on Obama’s last big kinetic military adventure where he failed to notify Congress prior to the action, and took well over a week and a half before finally officially notifying them? There was bipartisan pissed offness, too.

Anyhow, there is nothing unusual in sending military advisers to help other nations’ military forces. We’ve been doing it ever since we jumped up to superpower status. Which kinda highlights that “being a smartass” notion, in the way the letter was released.

One does have to wonder exactly what national security and foreign policy interests this serves. Uganda has little in the way of exports that the United States needs, and, so far, the LRA has killed zero Americans, and have made no moves to attack the US and our interests. But, Congress did pass a bipartisan resolution, and we are only sending military advisers.

From a human rights point of view, this does make perfect sense. The LRA is a brutal group (which, yes, I have heard of in terms of researching global terrorism). I really wouldn’t be surprised if Obama had dispatched troops to countries like Sudan, Rwanda, and Somalia, which are fighting against Islamist forces. But, I would say, before anyone goes down the road of “Obama’s just fighting against those evil Christians”, the LRA is about as Christian as the Westboro Baptist Church wackos, but with guns and extreme violence. They are completely fringe. They kill families and forcible draft children as foot soldiers. As Allahpundit points out

If Obama’s detractors want to welcome them under the banner of Christianity in order to try to score a cheap point on him, it’s no skin off my atheist nose. But it’s guaranteed to backfire as Americans learn more about our newest enemy.

Which jumps back to the smartass thing. There really was no reason for Obama to notify Speaker Boehner, except to be a smartass.

Humorously, Think Progress goes full on chicken hawk (couldn’t resist) and approves of deploying military advisers.

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