October 26, 2007, BBC News, Kabila seeks US help for the DRC army. -- "US officials said that at their White House meeting Presidents Bush and Kabila would discuss "security sector reform" in DR Congo. This could mean, primarily, the progress of the war in the east of the country and the role the US might play there. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7063437.stm
December 5, 2007, BBC News, Army seizes DR Congo Rebel base. -- Meanwhile, the US, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda have pledged to help DR Congo. At a regional meeting in Ethiopia, they said they would strengthen the Congolese security institutions. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7128367.stm
December 6, 2007, BBC News, DR Congo army shells rebel forces. -- "The UN mission in DR Congo (Monuc) has been providing logistical support to the Congolese army and on Tuesday said that as a last resort it would also "provide fire support" against the rebels." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7132234.stm
What, if any, should be the US military involvement in DR Congo?
Dear Woody,
I would like to be able to say that military training is not necessary in DRC, but with the escalation of rape (we have received three reports this week of increasing rape in Kananga, on the Angola border and in Ituri), I say that we have to support the training and PAYING of Congolese troops. If the Congolese troops are "unpaid" then they are dangerous because they prey on the people--- extorting money and food and raping women and children. (One man in Kananga was shot thru both legs when we were there in 03, because he did not pay a soldier the money that he requested. The fact that the man had just buried his young son, made no difference.)
Did you know that the MONUC contract with the DRC ends this coming week, Dec. 15??? The Security Council will probably address it this week. We need to be very vocal about keeping MONUC in the Congo.
Jan Sullivan
Posted by: Jan Sullivan | December 08, 2007 at 10:38 AM