Continuing the Bush Program

I take comfort from the Uganda deployment news that I do not suffer from Obama Derangement Syndrome (as opponents of Bush 43 were infected with Bush Derangement Syndrome). My reaction was not to oppose it because Obama is doing it, but to support it because it is a small commitment and makes sense for Uganda and the region, and our interests in both.

And as it turns out, it is a continuation and slight escalation of past Bush policies:

The United States has helped plan and pay for offensives against the group before, including an operation in 2008 and 2009, which was seen as a failure after the guerrillas dispersed into small groups and carried out retaliatory attacks, killing up to 900 civilians.

It isn't immoral to help. And I think it helps South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and the rest of the region. The latter two help us in Somalia, with Ugandans deployed in Mogadishu and Kenyans currently invading the south where jihadis live. South Sudan split off a portion of the pro-Chinese despotism of Sudan. So it is in our interest, too, and is not a matter of Responsibility to Protect.

I'm still not clear what we will doing:

Ms. Blaser emphasized that American forces would not engage in direct combat, except in self-defense, and she dismissed questions about whether the advisers would also be used to secure American interests in Uganda’s nascent oil industry or to fight Islamist extremists in the region, saying their role was “L.R.A.-specific.”

Stability will aid oil exploitation and getting the LRA will improve stability. As for the no direct combat, that still leaves room for patrolling with Ugandan soldiers to call in American firepower from Navy vessels or our aircraft and drones deployed in Djibouti. That role makes a lot of sense to me. We shall see.