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Limbaugh’s Impression Of Obama’s Mission In Uganda: ‘I’m Sending The Soldiers To Fight The Christians In Africa’

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by Alex Alvarez | 6:22 pm, October 18th, 2011

» 38 comments

On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh sought to educate his listeners about the “Lord’s Resistance Army.” You may have read that name in headlines recently, seeing how President Barack Obama has made the decision to deploy 100 military advisers in order to help regional forces combat and remove the L.R.A.

In a bit entitled “Obama Invades Uganda, Targets Christians” on the show’s official website, Limbaugh stressed that the group is Christian:

Now, up until today, most Americans have never heard of the combat Lord’s Resistance Army. And here we are at war with them. Have you ever heard of Lord’s Resistance Army, Dawn? How about you, Brian? Snerdley, have you? You never heard of Lord’s Resistance Army? Well, proves my contention, most Americans have never heard of it, and here we are at war with them. Lord’s Resistance Army are Christians. It means God.

He added that the group is focused on fighting Muslims in Sudan. Ergo, our President is attempting to forcibly remove (i.e. kill) Christian soldiers who are in combat with Muslim forces. Furthermore, said Limbaugh, the L.R.A. has a list of objectives that would seem extremely noble and desirable in the eyes of most Americans looking in on the conflict from the outside: “To remove dictatorship and stop the oppression of our people; to fight for the immediate restoration of the competitive multiparty democracy in Uganda; to see an end to gross violation of human rights and dignity of Ugandans; to ensure the restoration of peace and security in Uganda, to ensure unity, sovereignty and economic prosperity beneficial to all Ugandans, and to bring to an end the repressive policy of deliberate marginalization of groups of people who may not agree with the L.R.A. ideology.”

All good things! The New York Times‘ “The Lede,” however, has a theory about where Limbaugh happened upon this particular list:

The conservative host, who has previously demonstrated a fondness for sharing information found on Wikipedia with listeners, even when it is incorrect or misleading, appears to have taken this list of objectives from a defense of the Lord’s Resistance Army delivered by one of its leaders 14 years ago, which is featured in the online encyclopedia’s entry on the group’s ideology.

The problem with that is that Limbaugh has not presented his listeners with an accurate picture of what the L.R.A. is or what it stands for. As any person with even a rudimentary awareness of world history knows, there have been many groups who have professed to uphold noble and positive religious ideals that they do not put into practice, that they, in fact, undermine at every turn. And while defining the L.R.A. as a “Christian” group may conjure many positive, lovely associations, the reality, where the Lord’s Resistance Army is concerned, is far different.

The Washington Post, in reporting on Obama’s decision to deploy these advisers to Africa, offers a primer on the group and its leader, Joseph Kony (who calls himself a “spokesperson” for God, and who is currently on the Specially Designated Global Terrorists list):

Since its creation in 1987, the group has engaged in an armed rebellion against the Ugandan government and committed an extraordinary number of human rights violations. Most notably, his troops enter a village, killing the adults and kidnapping the children. The boys are enscripted into the army and the girls are taken as ‘bush wives.’

Obama notes in his letter that the LRA has “murdered, raped, and kidnapped tens of thousands of men, women, and children in central Africa” and “continues to commit atrocities across the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan that have a disproportionate impact on regional security.”

In addition, the group, contrary to the list of objectives Limbaugh shared on his show, wants to establish not a “multiparty democracy” but, rather, “a theocratic state based on the Ten Commandments” and on the tradition of a northern Ugandan ethnic group, the Acholi people.

WaPost has also helpfully linked to a series of leaked cables on the L.R.A. and the situation in Uganda.

Talking Points Memo delves into more specific atrocities committed by the group, including “mutilation and the sexual enslavement of women.”

It’s one thing, of course, to be opposed to Obama’s decision to involve the U.S. in what’s going on in Uganda. There’s a fair and valid argument to be made there. But Limbaugh didn’t do that. He misrepresented the aims and the actions of a very dangerous group, sweeping the violent atrocities the group and its leader have committed under a rug he’s labeled “Christianity.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be fair to say that Limbaugh never mentions that the group has committed heinous acts. He does touch upon the fact that there are “accusations” of atrocities committed by the L.R.A. — all in the span of one sentence. Oddly, he later says that the group “claims” to be Christians, undermining the premise of his initial argument about the absurdity of “killing” them off.

Have a listen to Limbaugh’s comments for yourselves, via The Rush Limbaugh Show:

Joseph Kony, Kony 2012, Lord's Resistance Army, LRA, Uganda

Rufus Danegro

The downside to mediaite is that if there was a serial killer who 14 million people paid attention to they would give his/her insane ramblings “fair” coverage.

As it stands they give this bloated pill popping pedophile far too much attention.

Sad.
Anonymous

Sounds like just another excuse to build another U.S. military base in another part of the world.
vamom22

Lie much?
vamom22

O hates christians. Uganda hates christians. Seems like a match made in hell to me.
http://twitter.com/DrunkReport DrunkReport.com

oh Rush. yu so sillyyyyy
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Rush is on a mission too!! Rush’s mission is to doctor-shop and fill 100 prescriptions for oxycontin within 30 days!!
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/C5GF6LAUMN4QS4MS4RSZHEYHQ4 Zeke A

Rush shut the hell up !
The_Reasonable_Lib

Those “Christians” have been raping, abducting & killing women & children for 2 decades now. Is that what Christianity is all about? Let me know now so I can go agnostic.
The_Reasonable_Lib

Here’s the record of Limbaugh’s Christians;
400 killed in 97, 100,000 displaced
450 in 2002
189 killed christmas 2008, 120 kids abducted
1,000 in 2009, 80 children captured with girls turned into sex slaves.
Rush is a fucking moron.
Rufus Danegro

Only 10 comments? Maybe people are wising up to this pill popping pedophile.

Amen.
Just some Blow Hard…

http://vimeo.com/30727317

http://kabiza.com/Lira-Children-Kony-Rebels.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/05/world/christian-rebels-wage-a-war-of-terror-in-uganda.html

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B05E6DA1038F930A2575BC0A9669D8B63&ref=lordsresistancearmy

Know what the hell you are talking about before you open your mouth. You would think, that by sitting in front of a computer all day, most of the trolls on here would know how to use Google. Remember that case in Connecticut? The one where they raped, beat, and murdered a woman, then burned her children alive? The one that all the right wingers here prop up when they say that they are for the death penalty? Appearently they are now defending a man who does this daily. They just trumped him up to be a beacon of Christianity. They only do it because they disagree politically with the man in the White House, and they are too damn lazy to look it up themselves…
labman57

If only Al Qaeda had called themselves “Al Christa” during/after 9/11 … then Rush would have had their backs.
Anonymous

Isn’t it time to start an occupy the FAT ASS
why isn’t this resonating with people to start SOMETHING against this stupidity?
I CANNOT believe that at least some of the lemmings would find this vile if they only read or heard the truth?
ASAP

No. It’s that Rush’s comments are indefensible to even the paid trolls on Medialite, who love him so.
Anonymous

have you, in your monumental stupidity even considered googling what the LRA is and does?
Anonymous

and you seem to have no functioning neurons, that doesn’t change what the LRA is
Scott Ward

People all over the world “call” themselves “christians”. It is OVERUSED. It was a derogatory name used for followers of Jesus Christ, by the Romans and their dictators/lords. “holy” Roman Catholics call themselves the christian church. (can bearly hold my laffing at that one). History shows them as killing the genuine believers/followers of Christ during, and since the inquisition, until circa 1800, (about 65,000,000 or so) tortured, imprisoned, killed, for not giving up the English bibles, and King James A.V. 1611 bible, they hated and tried to wipe out. hmmmm
Anonymous

Lets inject some actual information into this discussion!:

Lord’s Resistance Army (also Lord’s Resistance Movement or Lakwena Part Two) is a heterodox Christian militant group, which operates in northern Uganda and South Sudan.[4] The group used to operate mainly in northern Uganda and also in parts of South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

MASSACRES:

Pre-2008In January, 1997 the LRA attacked Lamwo, in northern Uganda. More than 400 people were killed, and approximately 100,000 people were displaced.[50]In May, 2002 the LRA attacked Eastern Equatoria in Sudan. An estimated 450 people were killed, and witnesses state some villagers were forced to walk off a cliff.[These are just a portion of the massacres that LOR took part in, if you want to read more head to wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord’s_Resistance_ArmyLimbaugh doesn’t really have a leg to stand on in this argument, he makes no sense.
Onne

Years of sex tourism in the Dominican and God knows where else with the resultant STDs plus his admitted drug abuse have clearly ravaged Limbaugh’s mind.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dronetek-Bulk-Vanderhuge/100000918732763 Dronetek Bulk Vanderhuge

You all realize he’s just doing what the left and Obama does when it comes to extreme Muslims?
Hypocrisyjoe

Sounds like Rush is running out of prescriptions again. He really is cranky lately but how could he not be? —– I mean did you see that Republican debate last night?! All Rush can do is break down President Obama because he certainly can’t lift one of these GOP candidates.
Valkyrie101

If it means dissing the Obama administration, Rush will say anything. He no longer enjoys even the pretext of being a fair man. That is what happens when you let your emotions govern your views. The end does not justify the means, Rush.
Lizton

His fourth wife is probably ready to escape which is probably driving him even more batty.
Anonymous

Choosing sides in any African tribal war is a really stupid thing for our country to be doing, which is why this group has been operating without American intervention since 1987. Whichever side gets the upper hand, they always tend to try and exterminate the other side.

Pretty strange how an anti-war candidate who rails against the costs of war and is the darling of the “mainstream” media for his anti-war views, can involve our military in an African tribal war while the media completely supports it without even mentioning the hypocrisy.
Me1Ranger

Maybe obozo will send troops to the left-coast to stop the longshoremen now, before they are allowed to continue their campaign of attrocities. I’m so glad I don’t work for this tool. I pray for our troops that do, what a miserable place to be sent to die. Their blood will be on his hands..but many here won’t give a shit.
http://www.facebook.com/aio.seven Aio Seven

Yeah, his flatulence, and I’m sure other things, drove his third wife away.
AliveStillKickin

Rush is sooooo much more entertaining than listening to the hate rants from Garofalo, Sarandon, Maxine Waters, Jimmy (Meadowlands) Hoffa and the rest of the Fonda Freaks.
And he’s always RIGHT….and that really pisses off the libs to no end.
Guest

Tribal war is in no way an accurate description of the LRA and its actions in Uganda. What started as a rebellion has turned into over 20 years of terror that can only be sustained by kidnapping, conscription of child soldiers, rape, torture, mutilation and the list continues. I think you, like Rush and many other people on this comments stream, would benefit from a simple google search.
Guest

Wow, really? News flash–Bin Laden was an “extreme Muslim”. I know it’s tough, but try to keep up.
Btroutman

Another dittohead who doesn’t get it
Peter

I think Mr. Limbaugh should move to Uganda and join the Lord’s Resistance Army.
Malcolm02

Does anyone know if Limbaugh followed up on this “due diligence,” admitted his mistake, apologized for slandering the president, and reported accurately on the LRA? Or did he just pretend he is always right? Miracles happen-he could take responsibility for his words, he could admit he and his staff was too lazy to actually research this.
Malcolm02

Does anyone know if Limbaugh followed up on this “due diligence,” admitted his mistake, apologized for slandering the president, and reported accurately on the LRA? Or did he just pretend he is always right? Miracles happen-he could take responsibility for his words, he could admit he and his staff was too lazy to actually research this.
Anonymous

How does your comment address Oxycon’s point that the “close Gitmo”, Code Pink darling Obama is actively intervening militarily in another country’s war? If Bush were sending troops (albeit intelligence assets) into Uganda, the resounding howl of protest that would erupt from the left would be unending. The anti-war hypocrites on the left loves them some World Police action when it’s a Dem pres initiating it.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Julie-Petersen/19002577 Julie Petersen

Limbaugh has
gone too far this time. Suggesting that Obama giving military support to
Uganda’s fight against the LRA is supporting a Muslim “attack” on
Christianity is sickeningly ignorant of the LRA’s mission and tactics.
I’ve lived and worked in Uganda, and there is NOTHING Christian about
the LRA. Calling yourselves the “Lord’s” Resistance Army
doesn’t make you Christian. These are evil, cruel people who, like the
Taliban, KKK, and other extremists, use faith as an excuse for
unspeakable acts of cruelty. Northern Ugandan Christians and Muslims
alike live in fear of their violence. Shame on you Limbaugh for using
the suffering of others as kindling for a political cheap shot!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Julie-Petersen/19002577 Julie Petersen

Limbaugh has
gone too far this time. Suggesting that Obama giving military support to
Uganda’s fight against the LRA is supporting a Muslim “attack” on
Christianity is sickeningly ignorant of the LRA’s mission and tactics.
I’ve lived and worked in Uganda, and there is NOTHING Christian about
the LRA. Calling yourselves the “Lord’s” Resistance Army
doesn’t make you Christian. These are evil, cruel people who, like the
Taliban, KKK, and other extremists, use faith as an excuse for
unspeakable acts of cruelty. Northern Ugandan Christians and Muslims
alike live in fear of their violence. Shame on you Limbaugh for using
the suffering of others as kindling for a political cheap shot!
Compassion

Is Rush Limbaugh that uninformed? Can Christianity be connected to the atrocities associated with this group? Kids lips, mouths, ears, arms, cut off? Pregnant women’s tummies sliced open? It is serious to think that someone so influential cannot even take time to research more before he makes such comments!
Anonymous

Rush Limbaugh, Defender of the Lord’s Resistance Army! (Full Audio) Cartoon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEWmMJrUp_0