US aircraft to aid hunt for LRA chief Kony

[alp227]

Source: Al Jazeera

The US is sending military aircraft as well as an increased number of troops to Uganda to assist in the hunt for Joseph Kony, the fugitive Ugandan leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

The White House confirmed on Monday that the US was sending "a limited number" of CV-22 Osprey, refuelling aircraft and "associated support personnel" to assist local forces in their long-running battle against the LRA.

Kony is wanted by the International Criminal Court along with his senior commanders for war crimes.

The rebel leader fled Uganda following a sustained military campaign against his group by the Ugandan military.

Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/03/us-aircraft-aid-hunt-lra-chief-kony-201432415440885563.html

[Crowman1979]

1. Wasting tax payer dollars all because of this guy....

[Renew Deal]

2. "Kony is wanted by the International Criminal Court"

[Jack for Sanders]

4. Ya but

The United States has informed the UN Secretary General that they no longer intend to become states parties and, as such, have no legal obligations arising from their former representatives' signature of the Statute.

So it's none of our damn business.


International Criminal Court

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court#cite_note-UN_treaty_database-10

[jmowreader]

6. Finding Joseph Kony is EVERYONE's business

Sending a handful of MV-22s and a hundred Special Forces guys to subsaharan Africa to find and arrest The Scum of the Earth is a proper use of our military power (and what we should have done in Afghanistan in 2001 when we were at least pretending to chase after bin Laden) and it's not going to put the country in the poorhouse.

[okaawhatever]

7. We're also using our resources wisely here. The SF troops are backing up the African Union troops

tasked to search for him and the PLA soldiers. From SF Channel 4:

The deployment of more military personnel will boost the 100 U.S. troops who have been supporting African forces as military advisers since 2011. They are not authorized to engage in direct combat with LRA fighters except in self-defense. The U.S. advisers are assisting about 2,500 African Union troops to chase LRA fighters in a jungle about the size of France.

Uganda’s military praised the deployment of the CV-22 Osprey, a versatile aircraft that can fly like a plane and a helicopter. Its ability to take off and land vertically should make it useful in the heavy jungle areas where the troops are operating.

“These aircraft are very helpful. They enhance our capacity, particularly in the search operations, reconnaissance, airlifts,” said Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda, the Ugandan military spokesman.

The LRA is perhaps Africa’s most infamous rebel group, thanks to the efforts of U.S.-based watchdog group Invisible Children that highlighted Kony’s crimes in 2012 in an online video that was widely viewed and urged the international community to put more resources toward ending the LRA threat.

http://news.kron4.com/news/reports-us-military-gets-closer-to-catching-joseph-kony/

When the evil monster that is Kony is captured it will truly be a cause for celebration. A lot of child soldiers and children sold into sex slavery will have much deserved closure.

[alp227]

9. A jury kept that stupid post.

JURY RESULTS

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Mon Mar 24, 2014, 05:29 PM, and voted 3-3 to LEAVE IT ALONE.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Jason Russell made a video to expose Kony, yes, the video posted is distasteful, but it shows a side of the story too.
Juror #2 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Not funny.

Thank you.

[Renew Deal]

10. There are a surprising number of isolationists on DU

[AtheistCrusader]

3. Is he bigger or smaller than a 777?

[maxsolomon]

5. Laugh it up.

Kony is a war criminal.

[Jesus Malverde]

8. Uganda makes russia seem progressive on gay rights.

Uganda’s Anti-Gay Law Complicates U.S. Aid in Rebel Hunt

—

On the February day that President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda signed a law making homosexuality a crime punishable by life in prison, the White House sharply criticized the measure as “more than an affront” and warned that the administration would review the American relationship with Uganda in light of the law.

A month later, administration officials have announced that President Obama is sending more Special Operations forces and additional military aircraft to help Mr. Museveni as he continues to hunt down Joseph Kony, the elusive rebel commander who is bent on toppling the Ugandan government. Mr. Kony is believed to have been hiding out in the jungles of Central Africa for years.

The timing of the decision to increase American military help for Mr. Museveni, even as his government has been locking up journalists, targeting opposition leaders and criminalizing homosexuality, has dismayed human rights advocates. On Monday, a number of them questioned Mr. Obama’s support for advancing civil liberties in Africa.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/world/africa/ugandas-anti-gay-law-complicates-us-aid-in-rebel-hunt.html?_r=0

[tarheelsunc]

11. Isn't this the sort of mission that would be perfect for drones?

Of course, I guess drones can fit under the "military aircraft" classification.