Pres. Obama Sends U.S. Military Personnel To Uganda
President Obama is sending about 100 U.S. Military forces to Central Africa. The troops are being sent to help suppress a violent insurgency in and around Uganda.
FOX News Radio’s Mike Majchrowitz reports from the White House:
Editor’s Note: FOX News has learned the troops deployed to Central Africa will be mostly U.S. Special Operations Fighters. Pentagon Officials say the U.S. will not lead any combat missions with partner forces, however they could not say if at any time U.S. SOF will join combat missions, or if they will only remain in garrison with partner forces in these field locations.
Read a statement released by the Pentagon Friday:
Per DoD Press office
Africa/LRA background from DoD press office
The United States is assisting the governments of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, and South Sudan to address the threat posed by the LRA. Since 2008, the United States has provided $33 million in support to the UPDF’s C-LRA efforts. Additionally, we are providing logistical support, non-lethal equipment, training, and intelligence assistance to other militaries working to counter the LRA. For example, we’re currently working to provide some equipment to the FACA and coordinating with them to help capitalize on their C-LRA efforts in eastern CAR. The USG also trained a Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) of the DRC military and that unit is now deployed to Dungu in northeastern Congo an area of the DRC that has been impacted by LRA operations. AFRICOM is also exploring ways to support the military of South Sudan.
The U.S. is deploying approximately 100 U.S. military personnel to regional capitals and other areas to work with governments, their militaries, and the peacekeeping missions in order for these forces to counter the LRA threat and protect civilians. This includes both military and non-military personnel. However, we stress that these U.S. troops will be working to advise and assist regional efforts, not acting independently.
The advisors will be traveling out to field locations in the areas affected by the LRA where they can interact with and advise those forces that are actively pursuing the LRA. However, to repeat, they will not be engaging in direct combat against the LRA.
The U.S. forces supporting this operation are primarily comprised of Special Operations Forces. They are performing one of the SOF pillars of Foreign Internal Defense (FID), a basic SOF core skill designed to build the capacity of the units they are working with. They bring the experience and technical capability to train, advise and assist partner security forces in support of programs designed to support internal security. Our intention is to provide the right balance of strategic and tactical experience to supplement host nation military efforts. Ultimately, Africans are responsible for African security, but we remain committed to our partners to enable their efforts to provide for their own security.
