The Huffington Post: Senator Chris Coons wrote an op-ed on Thursday drawing attention to efforts to capture Joseph Kony, the notorious leader of the LRA – an organization that has kidnapped and murdered tens of thousands of people in central Africa.
As we work toward this shared goal, it is essential to be clear about certain facts that may have been blurred these last few days. Joseph Kony’s unconscionable crimes against humanity are not in doubt. Under his leadership, the LRA murdered and kidnapped tens of thousands of people and advanced the use of rape as a weapon of war. Over two decades, they forced thousands of children to become child soldiers, displaced even more people from their homes and destabilized an entire region.
That’s why President Obama’s decisive action to bring Kony and his top lieutenants to justice is such a critical part of the story.
The Obama Administration has taken steps to “remove Kony from the battlefield,” and it has done so in the right way. In 2010, Congress passed and the President signed legislation authored by former Senator Russ Feingold to express support for increased U.S. efforts to help mitigate and eliminate the threat posed by the LRA. With this authorization, President Obama deployed 100 American military advisors to central Africa to train and assist regional militaries in their pursuit of Kony. The Administration, with the strong support of Congress, has also taken steps to increase civilian protection, support the desertion of LRA combatants, and provide assistance to populations affected by the LRA.
Click here to read the full op-ed on The Huffington Post.
Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on foreign policy.