WASHINGTON — Obama administration officials insist the U.S. military operation against a ruthless guerrilla group in central Africa is a limited deployment with the specific goal of ending the threat of the Lord’s Resistance Army.
Officials from the State and Defense departments on Tuesday faced skeptical members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Republicans and Democrats generally backed President Barack Obama’s decision to send 100 troops as advisers in the battle against the group and its leader, Joseph Kony. But they worried about an open-ended commitment that could involve more American forces.
The officials said the Lord’s Resistance Army is weakened but Kony and top commanders remain at large and continue ordering the group’s members to commit atrocities.
Officials said the goal is to capture or kill Kony and his commanders.