The LRA were mentioned on an episode of Law and Order: SVU. That's all I know.

Grand_Moff_Joseph: It's too bad the UN or other world governments won't back us up on this. The quickest way to get Africa on a path to even the 20th century is to systematically bury every drug lord, dictator and despot that controls what little wealth/resources there is, allowing their own people to starve to death. Otherwise, all the aid concerts in the world are for naught.

That said, is this the right time to sen in US troops? No, I don't think so. should we be trying to do this alone - hell no.

This.

Sounds like another crusade against those heathen Musl.... oh. Nope. Christians.

i feel the hope and the change.

no wait, t'was just gas. on with the bombs!

Grand_Moff_Joseph: It's too bad the UN or other world governments won't back us up on this.

Who's "the UN"? Lots of folks at the secretariat give a damn about the LRA and have been tracking their crimes for a decade. But nobody can do anything unless the Ugandans and their neighbours invite you in... which they've now done.

Grand_Moff_Joseph: The quickest way to get Africa on a path to even the 20th century is to systematically bury every drug lord, dictator and despot that controls what little wealth/resources there is

... and ten more will pop up. No, the quickest way to get Africa on a path to development is to devolve power to the local level, condition aid on irreversible systemic reforms that put resources in the hands of locals (not holding national elections or economic shenanigans), and support the countries that are doing well, holding them up as examples.

Grand_Moff_Joseph: That said, is this the right time to sen in US troops?

They're only sending a hundred. And it's long overdue.

Grand_Moff_Joseph: should we be trying to do this alone - hell no.

The Ugandan government invited them in. They're not alone.

/just my two cents

Grand_Moff_Joseph:

That said, is this the right time to sen in US troops? No, I don't think so. should we be trying to do this alone - hell no.

What's the worst that could happen? So we're starting a new war that will not benefit us in the least while mired in several other wars, half a world away, in a third world hellhole, against a religious extremist group with no moral restrictions on their actions, in a country we have virtually no ties to, during a period of low domestic morale, and a crippling financial situation.

I'm rather optimistic about this new venture. Our troops will definitely be home by Christmas.

RexTalionis: It's 100 soldiers being sent with the approval of the Ugandan government to act as military advisers. It's not like we're sending an army to engage the LRA directly.

thankfully at no other point in U.S. history have we even gotten into a bogged down conflict that began by sending military advisors.

Seth'n'Spectrum: No, the quickest way to get Africa on a path to development is to devolve power to the local level, condition aid on irreversible systemic reforms that put resources in the hands of locals (not holding national elections or economic shenanigans), and support the countries that are doing well, holding them up as examples.



Historically the quickest way to get a backwards and fragmented nation on the track towards civilization is for some strong man to take charge and start implementing economic reforms with no regard to the human suffering that may cause.

Is this going to be one of those war for oil things or one of those sticking our nose into others' business things? I have a hard time keeping up with why everything we do is wrong.

watson.t.hamster: Grand_Moff_Joseph:

That said, is this the right time to sen in US troops? No, I don't think so. should we be trying to do this alone - hell no.

What's the worst that could happen? So we're starting a new war that will not benefit us in the least while mired in several other wars, half a world away, in a third world hellhole, against a religious extremist group with no moral restrictions on their actions, in a country we have virtually no ties to, during a period of low domestic morale, and a crippling financial situation.

I'm rather optimistic about this new venture. Our troops will definitely be home by Christmas.

Spanky_McFarksalot: RexTalionis: It's 100 soldiers being sent with the approval of the Ugandan government to act as military advisers. It's not like we're sending an army to engage the LRA directly.

thankfully at no other point in U.S. history have we even gotten into a bogged down conflict that began by sending military advisors.

That was 50 years ago. We're so much smarter now.

*Cue the "impeach Obama/ZOMG the DEFICITS we can't AFFORD this/Obama's assassinating US citizens" derp

If you had told anyone in 2008 that Barack Obama's strongest arena would be foreign policy, I don't think anyone would have believed it.

Wait, we're fighting the LRA?

Huh. Well, I guess if you're going to get involved in military quagmires, get into military quagmires where you're at least unarguably on the right side.

vernonFL: I for one think its a *brilliant* idea to involve ourselves in yet another civil war halfway around the world. What could possibly go wrong?

In the last one, we had a minor commitment, no combat deaths, toppled a dictator and allowed a Democratic government to start forming.

Could be worse, gnomesane?

/FWIW I'd rather we weren't engaged in military conflict. But we've spent a few decades doing it horribly, horribly wrong. It's refreshing to see our power used on the right side every now and again.

Jim_Callahan: Wait, we're fighting the LRA?

Huh. Well, I guess if you're going to get involved in military quagmires, get into military quagmires where you're at least unarguably on the right side.

Yes, because Libya was such a "quagmire" and we should have been supporting Qadafi.

Is that what you meant?

vernonFL: And yes, Libya didn't go bad, like Somalia did in '93.

Somalia went bad because of piss poor planing and battle doctrine.

Well, that kind of implies that Somalia wasn't bad in the first place, or that Somalia could be made not bad in my lifetime, but irregardless.

sprawl15: Somalia went bad because of piss poor planing and battle doctrine.

Well, that kind of implies that Somalia wasn't bad in the first place, or that Somalia could be made not bad in my lifetime, but irregardless.

Well that and pulling out the Marines.

I had some buddies in Somalia, whole thing was a clusterfark. You couldn't do shiat to stop the food hijackings, which in turn lead to the skinnies getting braver and then all hell broke loose.

I say down with LRA!

send in the SSS or the VFD! If all else fails, try the Y-D!

whidbey: Yes, because Libya was such a "quagmire" and we should have been supporting Qadafi.

Is that what you meant?

No, but I have read enough of your posts to find the notion that you're actually that stupid instead of just trollin' somewhat believable.

Oh and for the tinfoil hat brigade. LRA has been active since the late 1980s and they've been brutal farkheads from day one. However we finally give a shiat when China starts moving in to acquire African resources.

ha-ha-guy: I had some buddies in Somalia, whole thing was a clusterfark. You couldn't do shiat to stop the food hijackings, which in turn lead to the skinnies getting braver and then all hell broke loose.

Yup. And the US treated the blackhawks like they were invulnerable God machines, despite two or three blackhawks having been nearly lost by the same RPG to the tail rotor trick. The lack of NATO communication, the lack of a competent level of LSAR support, etc. It was a farking disaster waiting to happen.

sprawl15: ha-ha-guy: I had some buddies in Somalia, whole thing was a clusterfark. You couldn't do shiat to stop the food hijackings, which in turn lead to the skinnies getting braver and then all hell broke loose.

Yup. And the US treated the blackhawks like they were invulnerable God machines, despite two or three blackhawks having been nearly lost by the same RPG to the tail rotor trick. The lack of NATO communication, the lack of a competent level of LSAR support, etc. It was a farking disaster waiting to happen.

Poor Jeremy Piven, he was a good man

Another war. How many is that?

Jim_Callahan: whidbey: Yes, because Libya was such a "quagmire" and we should have been supporting Qadafi.

Is that what you meant?

No, but I have read enough of your posts to find the notion that you're actually that stupid instead of just trollin' somewhat believable.

What does that even mean?

Thanks for the ad hominem.

whidbey: Jim_Callahan: whidbey: Yes, because Libya was such a "quagmire" and we should have been supporting Qadafi.

Is that what you meant?

No, but I have read enough of your posts to find the notion that you're actually that stupid instead of just trollin' somewhat believable.

What does that even mean?

Thanks for the ad hominem.

What ad?
Who you calln' hominem?!

Obama is such a warmonger. We're still in Afghanistan, our drones fight wars for other people, seal team 6 went into an allied nation to commit murder, ordering the assasination of american citizens overseas, and now we're sending in ground troops to fight in Africa. The world gave this man the nobel peace prize ladies and gentlemen...

Grand_Moff_Joseph: It's too bad the UN or other world governments won't back us up on this. The quickest way to get Africa on a path to even the 20th century is to systematically bury every drug lord, dictator and despot that controls what little wealth/resources there is, allowing their own people to starve to death. Otherwise, all the aid concerts in the world are for naught.


Gross oversimplification. Africa, like AF/PAK, is a scattering of tribal groups. some of whom have managed to crawl (or murder) their way on top.

It's like playing whack-a-Mole. with predator drones and Tier1 SOF of your choice. education is the way out, but you have to stop the violence first.

Mazzic518: Because People in power are Stupid: Child soldiers are just so cute!

[raquelgan.files.wordpress.com image 640x426]

jesus look at that blank stare

he has probably killed and raped more people than he has had years on this planet.

So yeah, another foreign adventure/quagmire, and there will be at least some voices on the religious right saying that this proves Obama is a Muslim who persecutes Christians. There have been voices in the American religious right rah-rahing for murderous anti-gay policies in Africa, and Uganda in particular.

Great, Obama. I mean, what's not to like?

FlashHarry: DavidVincent: Another war. How many is that?

100 advisors. not a war. not like a george w. bush war, anyway.

I'm getting ahead of myself but we've done this before. Vietnam started with 2000 advisors.

It's 100 hundred lives at risk in a shiathole. Worse of a shiathole than a Beirut barracks.

How many wars are we going to get involved in before we get out of one? Just like anyone else, I don't like what these guys are doing, but even sending advisors is too much right now.

"The feared group LRA is responsible for the murder and rape of thousands in Central Africa. Siding with interventionist advisers, Obama sent the US troops to help remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield."

No trial again? God, the man is killing people all over the world. Let Africa take care of him.

And yet no one is addressing the threat that the GNAA poses to America...

/like forkbombs

Do they even have Mafia wars in Uganda?

watson.t.hamster: Seth'n'Spectrum: No, the quickest way to get Africa on a path to development is to devolve power to the local level, condition aid on irreversible systemic reforms that put resources in the hands of locals (not holding national elections or economic shenanigans), and support the countries that are doing well, holding them up as examples.



Historically the quickest way to get a backwards and fragmented nation on the track towards civilization is for some strong man to take charge and start implementing economic reforms with no regard to the human suffering that may cause.

With citations even!

The Shock Doctrine (pops)