# Obams Sends Ground Troops to Africa **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 14, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681 "2011-10-14T22:24:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/41 "2011-10-15T17:10:49Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > That’s because news sources such as [Fox tried to hide it.](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,92938,00.html) Diamonds on the soles of their shoes! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/42 "2011-10-15T18:33:23Z")
Not the first time, nor the [last](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/43 "2011-10-16T00:08:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And you never heard of it because a president sending a few hundred troops somewhere is a total nonevent. I am greatly relieved. The Patton picture in the Limbaugh link is kinda funny, though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![NiceGuyJack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/niceguyjack/32/3069_2.png) [@NiceGuyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NiceGuyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/44 "2011-10-16T01:05:22Z")
Makes you wonder if the Nobel Peace prize was deserved. I can imagine the Norwegian Nobel Peace prize comity thinking they may have been a bit too fast in deciding to award it to Obama back in '09. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/45 "2011-10-16T01:12:16Z")
> [@NiceGuyJack](#): > > Makes you wonder if the Nobel Peace prize was deserved. > I can imagine the Norwegian Nobel Peace prize comity thinking they may have been a bit too fast in deciding to award it to Obama back in '09. Peace prizes should go to people who make peace not people who prattle them. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/46 "2011-10-16T01:26:06Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Peace prizes should go to people who make peace not people who prattle them. Yes. I believe the committee was over enthusiastic. It would have been a great move on Obama’s part to graciously refuse it because he hadn’t done anything to deserve it. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/47 "2011-10-16T01:27:06Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Yes. I believe the committee was over enthusiastic. It would have been a great move on Obama’s part to graciously refuse it because he hadn’t done anything to deserve it. Indeed, he didn’t deserve the price then. But OTOH I think quite frankly he deserves it this year with the deaths of numerous enemies of world peace-Bin Laden and al-Alwaki and the overthrow of the tyrant Qadaffi. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/48 "2011-10-16T01:59:25Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Indeed, he didn’t deserve the price then. But OTOH I think quite frankly he deserves it this year with the deaths of numerous enemies of world peace-Bin Laden and al-Alwaki and the overthrow of the tyrant Qadaffi. Wow, getting a Peace Prize for carrying assassinations. It sounds so fucked up it must be a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/49 "2011-10-16T02:07:48Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > Wow, getting a Peace Prize for carrying assassinations. It sounds so fucked up it must be a joke. Well I was being saracastic, but only in the sense that those who bring peace in that way never get the Nobel Peace Prize. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/50 "2011-10-16T02:26:52Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Well I was being saracastic, but only in the sense that those who bring peace in that way never get the Nobel Peace Prize. If you want to go that way, the end goal of war, any war whatsoever (up to and including Nazi Germany) is to bring peace. Just not the same peace as before. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/51 "2011-10-16T04:32:34Z")
Well, even according to his political enemies, he’s the one responsible for the Arab Spring. That’s something worthy of a prize, I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![armymj84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@armymj84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armymj84)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/52 "2011-10-16T06:02:56Z")
I’d like to just interject some information on the LRA and Joseph Kony. The LRA was formed about 25 years ago by Joseph Kony. I know many of the articles that covered this issue talked about the atrocities the LRA has committed, how Joseph Kony was the first to have a warrant issued for his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC), etc. Not many that I read delved into the numbers… 30,000+ children abducted and forced to become child soldiers or sex slaves (this is a conservative estimate), millions displaced, thousands killed, and more. But it’s easy to get lost in the numbers… These kids are abducted from their homes. Many are forced to watch as their parents are murdered, sisters are raped and mutilated, and their homes burned to the ground. Many of these children are forced to kill their own parents (rather than just watch) in order to desensitize them to the violence of the group. The LRA knows that once the family is killed, there isn’t anything for the children to go home to; this forces the kids to remain with the LRA for quite a while. Many victims of the LRA had their ears, nose, lips, hands, breasts, etc cut off. Many have been set on fire. But, still, these general facts don’t mean much. So read a boy’s story about his abduction experience… [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5129350.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5129350.stm) The reason I am bringing all this up is I know sending troops to Africa isn’t a popular idea. But for those that have been active in raising awareness of the plight of these children and their families it is exciting news. This is a humanitarian effort on the President’s part to end what the UN has dubbed “the most neglected humanitarian crisis today”. Before you assume anything on this issue, check out the facts to know why President Obama felt this was necessary and worthy… [http://invisiblechildren.com/](http://invisiblechildren.com/) [http://www.machinegunpreacher.org/](http://www.machinegunpreacher.org/) (yes, the movie starring Gerard Butler dealt with this issue) ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/53 "2011-10-16T08:32:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, even according to his political enemies, he’s the one responsible for the Arab Spring. That’s something worthy of a prize, I’d say. There’s too much irony in this thread, I can’t follow. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/54 "2011-10-16T09:06:46Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Peace prizes should go to people who make peace not people who prattle them. Absolutely. It’s good to see the Nobel Committee finally come round to the truth of Freedom through superior firepower. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/55 "2011-10-16T13:38:05Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > Wow, getting a Peace Prize for carrying assassinations. It sounds so fucked up it must be a joke. > [@Rune](#): > > Absolutely. It’s good to see the Nobel Committee finally come round to the truth of Freedom through superior firepower. Well, considering the Nobel Committee regularly gives the award to murderous scumbags for, you know, belatedly deciding to stop killing people, it doesn’t sound so silly after all. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/56 "2011-10-16T15:20:26Z")
> [@armymj84](#): > > So read a boy’s story about his abduction experience… > > [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5129350.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5129350.stm) I can see why Limbaugh would be so hell-bent on defending this Kony guy if it means he can cry a little more about Obama. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/57 "2011-10-19T15:36:21Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Well, considering the Nobel Committee regularly gives the award to murderous scumbags for, you know, belatedly deciding to stop killing people, it doesn’t sound so silly after all. Yes…Kissinger and Arafat being the two most WTF choices. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/58 "2011-10-20T00:46:44Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Yes…Kissinger and Arafat being the two most WTF choices. Kissinger was at least a great statesman. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681/59 "2011-10-20T01:45:08Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Kissinger was at least a great statesman. So was Otto von Bismarck. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obams-sends-ground-troops-to-africa/599681.md?page=2)