U.S. Military Forces Hunting Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda

The Obama administration announced plans on Friday to send 100 military advisers to Uganda in an effort to capture former rebel leader Joseph Kony. Kony was the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel group renowned for raping female captives and recruiting child soldiers during Uganda's two decades of civil conflict. This limited military mission is significant as the United States has been cautious about sending forces to African nations since 1994. The Ugandan mission demonstrates America's concerns over humanitarian crises and injustices on the African continent.

American-Ugandan relations could improve if Mr. Kony and his cohorts are captured. The Ugandan government created a war tribunal in 2008 to bring LRA leaders to justice for their crimes. According to a BBC report, the LRA killed at least 30,000 Ugandans since the conflict began in 1987. The war tribunal has faced significant challenges in the past three years including pressure by politicians in the LRA's home region for amnesty to LRA leaders. A recent hearing for former LRA Colonel Thomas Kwoyelo ended in amnesty despite charges of murder and human trafficking. The arrest of Mr. Kony by American forces would allow the war tribunal to take aim at the rebellion's leader.

The hunt for Joseph Kony fits indirectly within the context of America's global efforts to curb terrorism. The Ugandan military is currently committed to an effort by the African Union to subdue al-Shabab, a Somali group with connections to terrorist group al-Qaeda. Somalia has faced civil conflict over the past two decades with weak national governments giving way to pirates on the coast and terrorists in the nation's interior. The African Union with contributions from Uganda is working to create an environment conducive to democratic government in Somalia. The arrival of American troops in Uganda eases personnel limitations facing the Ugandan military during the al-Shabab mission. This mission shores up America's commitment to fighting terrorism as well as the desire to bring war criminals to justice.

President Obama's orders push the United States back into active military involvement on the African continent. The American military has rarely deployed personnel on the continent since a failed humanitarian mission in 1994 in Mogadishu, Somalia. This military effort ended with the death of 17 soldiers and the complete collapse of the Somali government. Humanitarian missions in African nations like Uganda and Somalia have taken place largely through international aid organizations and the United Nations since 1994. The small investment in military personnel provides an opening for future military intervention by the United States on behalf of African allies.