WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, issued the following statement regarding the announcement by the Obama administration authorizing the deployment of U.S. forces to central Africa to assist regional militaries in countering the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2005, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for LRA leader Joseph Kony and four other LRA commanders on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“For more than 20 years, the Lord’s Resistance Army has murdered, raped, and kidnapped tens of thousands of innocent people. It has forced thousands of abducted children to become child soldiers, has displaced hundreds of thousands from their homes, and has destabilized the region. Joseph Kony and his followers are guilty of horrific crimes against humanity, and the international community has a responsibility to help protect innocent civilians. That’s why I support President Obama’s decision to deploy U.S. military personnel to central Africa to advise regional forces in their effort to counter the LRA and capture or kill Joseph Kony.
“Early and effective consultation with Congress on the deployment of American forces into new theaters of potential conflict is critical to sustaining bipartisan support for our security efforts around the world. I appreciate the Administration’s efforts to engage Congress and the public early in this deployment, and intend to press for greater clarity about the scope, duration and risks inherent in this mission when we convene a secure briefing for the full SFRC on Thursday.”