US to send troops to Uganda to help fight LRA rebels

[MothBalls]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Someone found oil there?

There's oil there?

BOMB THEM!

[yubba]

Yet they said that about Vietnam, Iraq, Lybia, Yemen, I feel that I'm missing some one, hate to think they find oil in Mexico.

[magicstix]

Originally Posted by yubba

Yet they said that about Vietnam, Iraq, Lybia, Yemen, I feel that I'm missing some one, hate to think they find oil in Mexico.

Uhm, Mexico has a *lot* of oil, actually... So does Canada... So do we for that matter...

[Oberon]

Poor sods, getting caught up in another African mess. Still, I guess they're making their presence felt before China buys up the rest of Africa and its oil.

[yubba]

I guess that it's better to drop off our troops into far away $&*t holes to die for a barrel of oil, for it is too far for them to walk home.

[CaptainHaplo]

Cmon people - consistency here....

People screamed about how Bush sent troops into Iraq and those on the right wanted to justify it because it saved Iraqi's from genocide.
Now, the right is yelling "WHY ARE WE DOING THIS" - uhm - to try and save lives....

Why is that answer good enough to justify Iraq, but not good enough for this? Especially considering the very limited forces used.

The LRA has been at their work for what, 20+ years now? How many times did we hear people talk about "why isn't Obama doing something about it" after he got elected. The same question was asked about Bush.

Now something is getting done. Late - absolutely. But at least there is action.

I don't like the vast majority of the President's policies, but this is a good move.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

I don't like the vast majority of the President's policies, but this is a good move.

I might agree that "someone" needs to "do something" in Uganda. However, it has not been demonstrated that this someone needs to be (or should be) the US or that the something needs to be our military.

I guess the older I get the more cold-hearted I get, but I still wonder what is there in Uganda that is worth a single American life?

American lives are kinda important to me. As a former military member, I understand that American military may need to die to support US national agendas. But I would have a hard time looking a soldier in the eye and say "you need to die for Uganda".

[magicstix]

Originally Posted by Platapus

I might agree that "someone" needs to "do something" in Uganda. However, it has not been demonstrated that this someone needs to be (or should be) the US or that the something needs to be our military.

I guess the older I get the more cold-hearted I get, but I still wonder what is there in Uganda that is worth a single American life?

American lives are kinda important to me. As a former military member, I understand that American military may need to die to support US national agendas. But I would have a hard time looking a soldier in the eye and say "you need to die for Uganda".

I think the problem isn't necessarily what the President is doing, but more his flagrant disregard for the law and the outright lying in his reasoning for the deployment of the troops. He's said that it's a national security issue (it's not) he's said he's carrying out Congressional mandates (he's not) and he's dropped the letter on us on a Friday like a document dump to avoid media scrutiny.

Going in there for humanitarian reasons is certainly noble, but it should be done within the law. What he's done here is unilaterally gone off on a military adventure in Africa without consulting any of the other branches of government.

The honest thing would have been to say "here's what I want to do, here's why" and make his case before the American people and Congress. We have checks and balances on power for a reason.

[CaptainHaplo]

Originally Posted by magicstix

I think the problem isn't necessarily what the President is doing, but more his flagrant disregard for the law and the outright lying in his reasoning for the deployment of the troops. He's said that it's a national security issue (it's not) he's said he's carrying out Congressional mandates (he's not) and he's dropped the letter on us on a Friday like a document dump to avoid media scrutiny.

Going in there for humanitarian reasons is certainly noble, but it should be done within the law. What he's done here is unilaterally gone off on a military adventure in Africa without consulting any of the other branches of government.

He also stated its a mission in support of foreign policy - which it is (although a policy I disagree with), and under the war powers act he can deploy troops for a limited time frame. Thus - it is legal. Whether we like it or not.

Originally Posted by Platapus

I guess the older I get the more cold-hearted I get, but I still wonder what is there in Uganda that is worth a single American life?

While I agree with the sentiment to a point - we could have said the same thing about Europe in WW1 and WW2. When I say this is a "good move" - I am speaking not about the policy which I disagree with, but about the consistency in acting where there is a specific need to help preserve human life. Of course - then one has to ask - where is the consistency regarding Iran or Egypt or Syria then........

[yubba]

The LRA has been at their work for what, 20+ years now? How many times did we hear people talk about "why isn't Obama doing something about it" after he got elected. The same question was asked about Bush.

Now something is getting done. Late - absolutely. But at least there is action.

I don't like the vast majority of the President's policies, but this is a good move.[/QUOTE]
Yeah it was a pretty good end run around congress and the consitution, that's what the problem is, where in the consitution does it say the President can just send troops into foreign lands anytime he feels like it ????

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by magicstix

Uhm, Mexico has a *lot* of oil, actually... So does Canada... So do we for that matter...

The two largest suppliers of foreign oil to the United States are Canada and Mexico.