Uganda

[adrian-fekula.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone, this is my first post to this community. I figured this is a good place to get feedback on a pretty important topic these days, namely, what is to be done by America in Uganda. I'm sure many, if not most, of you will totally disagree with my article, but I'd like to see what everyone thinks anyway.

Finally, We're Going to Save Uganda... Again!!

March 24th, 11:44

Current Mood:

 distressed

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57396592-503544/joseph-kony-resolution-introduced-in-house/


Thank God! We're finally going to go get Joseph Kony in Uganda! Whatever would we have done if he were allowed to continue his reign of terror?

If you couldn't detect it through the text, that was sarcasm. Let's analyze the situation a bit more closely.

A few weeks ago, Invisible Children released a wildly popular video about the murderous Joseph Kony, a rebel leader in Uganda. As I write this post, the 30 minute long video has 84, 939, 086 views, 1, 375, 851 likes and only 129, 273 dislikes on YouTube. If you haven't watched it, I'm sure you have heard about it.

For most Americans, the video was enough for them to call on the government to do something. Never mind the fact that the situation in Uganda is more complex than one rebel killing children, or the fact that Kony is probably not even there anymore, and hasn't been for six years (some even think he's dead), or the fact that the killings have mostly stopped. There is no legitimate reason for the American government to go waste its money there, or to intervene in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation.

Why, then, is this course of action even being considered? Well, for that, we need a short history lesson. A little while ago, some oil was discovered in Uganda. All of a sudden, last October, the Obama administration sent 100 "military advisers" to Uganda to help the government of President Yoweri Museveni (a dictator who has been in power since 1986, and has killed just as many people as Kony). Then, "Kony 2012" was released, and now the people are calling for blood.

I don't doubt the sincerity of the makers of the film. Although I do take issue with their spending more money on media attention than on their causes, I'm sure the people at the top really do care about the issues they present to the public. That being said, the video is very inaccurate, misinforms the people and openly calls on the public to petition the US government to send a larger military force to Uganda.

To any true conservative, these events are very disturbing. As far as I'm concerned, 100 soldiers is 100 too many for America to send to Uganda. There are only two reasons for the Obama administration to increase the already-too-large military presence America has in Uganda. Obama, I'm sure, hopes to get some sweet oil deal for American companies, and he also wants to ride the wave of public emotion to re-election. We have already seen that the administration will do anything to be seen as the savior of the world in the eyes of the American electorate. That's why they had anything to do with Syria, and now it is one of the two reasons why Obama cares two figs about Uganda. Yes, China's interest in Uganda is disturbing, but there is a much easier solution to ending our political conflict with China in Africa: allow Americans to drill for oil in America. Or better yet, encourage investment in green energy. America has the potential to lead the world in the green industry. Not only will that help our economy, it may even save the Earth's environment. Both are worthy causes.

The only good thing I can see about this whole Uganda mess is that if the Obama administration takes it up as its new cause, maybe it will leave Syria alone. Of course, America will just be trading one Syria for another, but small victories count too. 

Hopefully this disgraceful initiative will not pass. We can't afford it as it is, and it is truly none of our business. If its about oil, there are better solutions, and I'm sure we can all agree, good media coverage is not a good reason for an administration to plunge its country into a useless war.

PS. If you take the time to watch the video I posted, it gets weird near the end. Its only worth watching the first ten minutes.

Tags: joseph kony, uganda

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Finally, We're Going to Save Uganda... Again!!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57396592-503544/joseph-kony-resolution-introduced-in-house/


Thank God! We're finally going to go get Joseph Kony in Uganda! Whatever would we have done if he were allowed to continue his reign of terror?

If you couldn't detect it through the text, that was sarcasm. Let's analyze the situation a bit more closely.

A few weeks ago, Invisible Children released a wildly popular video about the murderous Joseph Kony, a rebel leader in Uganda. As I write this post, the 30 minute long video has 84, 939, 086 views, 1, 375, 851 likes and only 129, 273 dislikes on YouTube. If you haven't watched it, I'm sure you have heard about it.

For most Americans, the video was enough for them to call on the government to do something. Never mind the fact that the situation in Uganda is more complex than one rebel killing children, or the fact that Kony is probably not even there anymore, and hasn't been for six years (some even think he's dead), or the fact that the killings have mostly stopped. There is no legitimate reason for the American government to go waste its money there, or to intervene in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation.

Why, then, is this course of action even being considered? Well, for that, we need a short history lesson. A little while ago, some oil was discovered in Uganda. All of a sudden, last October, the Obama administration sent 100 "military advisers" to Uganda to help the government of President Yoweri Museveni (a dictator who has been in power since 1986, and has killed just as many people as Kony). Then, "Kony 2012" was released, and now the people are calling for blood.

I don't doubt the sincerity of the makers of the film. Although I do take issue with their spending more money on media attention than on their causes, I'm sure the people at the top really do care about the issues they present to the public. That being said, the video is very inaccurate, misinforms the people and openly calls on the public to petition the US government to send a larger military force to Uganda.

To any true conservative, these events are very disturbing. As far as I'm concerned, 100 soldiers is 100 too many for America to send to Uganda. There are only two reasons for the Obama administration to increase the already-too-large military presence America has in Uganda. Obama, I'm sure, hopes to get some sweet oil deal for American companies, and he also wants to ride the wave of public emotion to re-election. We have already seen that the administration will do anything to be seen as the savior of the world in the eyes of the American electorate. That's why they had anything to do with Syria, and now it is one of the two reasons why Obama cares two figs about Uganda. Yes, China's interest in Uganda is disturbing, but there is a much easier solution to ending our political conflict with China in Africa: allow Americans to drill for oil in America. Or better yet, encourage investment in green energy. America has the potential to lead the world in the green industry. Not only will that help our economy, it may even save the Earth's environment. Both are worthy causes.

The only good thing I can see about this whole Uganda mess is that if the Obama administration takes it up as its new cause, maybe it will leave Syria alone. Of course, America will just be trading one Syria for another, but small victories count too. 

Hopefully this disgraceful initiative will not pass. We can't afford it as it is, and it is truly none of our business. If its about oil, there are better solutions, and I'm sure we can all agree, good media coverage is not a good reason for an administration to plunge its country into a useless war.

PS. If you take the time to watch the video I posted, it gets weird near the end. Its only worth watching the first ten minutes.

Tags: joseph kony, uganda

Comments

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

The resolution, introduced by Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. and Ed Royce, R-Calif.

Well I'm glad at least both sides can agree to be complete idiots.

[adrian-fekula.livejournal.com]

True, Republicans are really not much better than Democrats in general. I guess I was talking about the administration sending troops last October, without Congress.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

It's like The Cold War never ended.

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the land of toilet paper! Don't let the gnarly nature of our denizens get you down.

The resolution looks like a feel-good measure to me. I seriously doubt that it will result in much good. It will probably be seen in Africa as yet another neo-colonial step on the part of Washington.

I am interested in your views on fundamentalist support for anti-birth control measures in Uganda as well as support for the anti-gay measures that have been attempted with the support of America's religious wrong right. Do you have any opinions on the Fellowship (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fellowship_%28Christian_organization%29).

[adrian-fekula.livejournal.com]

I'm American and I am truly ashamed that this is an issue.

Hopefully it won't even pass.

As for Uganda's treatment of homosexuals and birth control, I want to stress again that it is none of our business. Sure I take issue (on moral grounds) with putting gays to death, but that has nothing to do with me. If the people of another country want to do it, then fine. It is not until they begin to harm Americans that it become America's business.

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

The anti-homosexual legislation may be another form of American neo-colonialism in the sense that it may have received encouragement from elements in the US. The issue of birth control is definitely one of US interference since it was a US-led restriction on the application of US aid.

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

First, could you please use an lj-cut?

Second, this is my open letter to the West: Please stay away from Africa. We've seen enough "saving" on the West's part. Kthx.

[adrian-fekula.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sorry about that.

And it seems you agree with me, great!

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

"If Jesus saves, he'd better save himself from all the gory glory seekers who use his name in death." -Jethro Tull.

[vehemencet-t.livejournal.com]

What did I tell you?

We shall see if the U.S. succumbs to the propaganda on this one. I would think, or at least hope, that after Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and now Syria, that American would not tolerate yet another disguised military "intervention", but they have failed me before.

"WE HAVE TO STOP KONY!!!! FOR THE CHILDREN! OH WERE JUST GONNA PICK UP THOSE RARE EARTH ELEMENTS (http://talk-politics.livejournal.com/1396772.html#cutid1)...YOU KNOW SINCE WE'RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ANYWAY HEH HEH..."

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

what is to be done by America in Uganda.

Nothing.

[danalwyn.livejournal.com]

I think the Uganda issue, regardless of what you believe the right thing is, has become a lot more complicated, and for a lot more varied reasons, then people think. Here's what I think the major factors are (and I'm just guessing) for the US in Uganda:

First, the US owes Uganda a substantial debt for manning AMISOM. There's a vocal group in the US government (mostly Republican these days) that seems to always oppose al-Qaeda affiliates, and would be pushing to interfere more then we are if the situation were not in stable equilibrium. It's in equilibrium of a sort because Uganda has gone to the barricades for the US (and for their own interests) in manning AMISOM. Because of that the US owes Uganda a substantial military debt, which may have taken the form of technical assistance to the UPDF in the tasks that they are not equipped and trained to do, which is my suspicion for the origin of the US deployment.

Second, I'm thinking that the Kony2012 campaign may not be the product of anything in the US. If you look at the way that it's played out, the one big winner is Kampala. Correlation may not imply causation, but there's an awful lot that Uganda, and the UPDF in particular stand to gain from this increase in military attention. If I had to point a finger at anyone for manipulating the anti-LRA media campaign, it would be Museveni - if anything Washington looks like another pawn in the game.

And third, I think that the US attention to Uganda has very little to do with what resources Uganda has (which is not much). Uganda is clearly setting itself up as the regional powerhouse of the Great Lakes region, and maybe even all of Central Africa. Certainly they're the person to beat in this game. All major international players are thus trying to buy some influence in Kampala. The US appears to be playing a distant game. They're providing the aid Museveni wants, but only in small increments (100 troops is not much), trying to keep far enough away to ensure a smooth transition if democracy takes hold in Uganda, while building up ties to institutions (namely the UPDF) whom they believe will survive into the post-Museveni Uganda with their power base intact. Beijing's playing the same game, but from a purely economic standpoint. Thus the distant courtship from both sides.

I'm not saying that these are good ideas, but this is what I think is driving US policy in Uganda, not Kony, not oil, and not a hankering for invasion. I may not agree with it, but I think Uganda is starting to demand better bribes to keep on their good side, and if the US wants to maintain any foothold in Central Africa, they may have to pay (or go next door).

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

Go is pretty cool.