Joseph Kony resolution introduced in House
Stephanie Condon
CBS News
3/13/2012
Two House lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a resolution supporting efforts to counter the Lord’s Resistance Army, hoping to build on the momentum created by a viral YouTube video spotlighting the atrocities of LRA leader Joseph Kony.
The resolution, introduced by Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. and Ed Royce, R-Calif., calls for, among other things, expanding the number of regional forces in Africa to protect civilians and placing restrictions on individuals or governments found to be supporting Kony.
Kony gained notoriety in the U.S. this month when a 30-minute video produced by the group Invisible Children went viral, picking up more than 50 million views in just four days. The video spotlighted how the Ugandan warlord has been accused of kidnapping up to 30,000 children in the past 26 years, using girls as sex slaves and boys as child soldiers.
Invisible Children has since taken heat for how much of its budget it spends on aid to Africa versus marketing. Additionally, some Ugandans have complained the video misrepresents and over-simplifies the issue.
Still, McGovern said in a statement that the new attention the African conflict is receiving is a good thing.
“I am hopeful that we can use this momentum as a force for change,” he said. “We must do all that we can to protect innocent civilians — especially children — and end LRA violence once and for all.”
Last year, McGovern and Royce introduced and helped pass into law “The Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act.” Subsequently, President Obama sent 100 U.S. troops to Central Africa to serve as advisers in efforts to hunt down Kony. [emphasis CAJ]
H/T and headline University of Common
Related: Joseph Kony 2012: Invisible Children CEO responds to criticism as viral video breaks records
Invisible Children’s Military Disconnect
…In the first paragraph, IC refer to the LRA operating in “remote and ungoverned areas.” As perhaps any geographer, anthropologist, sociologist or other person that studies human beings, there is no such thing as an “ungoverned area.” Humans create governance structures whereever they interact with one another, those governance structures can be brutal, unfair, even lethal, but they still exist. ‘Ungoverned space’ is security-speak for “A state doesn’t control it” and the fact that they’re even thinking in those terms raises a red-flag for where the rest of the letter is going.
The next interesting paragraph is quite jaw dropping in its assumptions:
However, we fear that unless existing U.S. efforts are further expanded, your strategy may not succeed.
Okay. Cards on the table – expand existing U.S. efforts (the military advisors).
The Ugandan and other regional militaries pursuing LRA commanders and groups continue to face daunting challenges. Their operations are hamstrung by flagging political will, weak cross-border coordination, the absence of tactical airlift, and the withdrawal of more than half of the Ugandan troops initially deployed to the field.
This entire segment is a straw man argument…
Kony 2012 – Humanitarians with Guillotines?
Are the supposedly well meaning liberal filmmakers behind the Kony 2012 campaign interested in spreading peace, or more violence? Why do liberals support bombing Libya, Syria and Uganda, but condemn conservatives for invading and occupying Afghanistan and Iraq & vice versa?
Is there a more legal, ethical and economical way to combat modern day terrorists and dictators? Watch the second episode of Austin Petersen’s “Freedom Report” for the details.
Update: Evidently we’re taking such good care of our military that we can now send them into new wars. Evidence of their condition, via Michael Yon on Facebook: Soldier in Massacre Had Brain Injury
CAJ note: When Breitbart asked Bernadine Dohrn whatever happened to the anti-war movement, she told him the truth…they’ve now been diverted to populate the Occupy movement. So much for the conviction of conscience.
Update 2: “Kony 2012” Founder Busted For Masturbating In Public
Update 3: Is Jason Russell’s Hysterical Naked Madness Good for Kony?
