Two days ago, the U.S. deployed combat troops to central Africa to serve as advisers to regional forces battling the Lord’s Resistance Army. News of the deployment came a few minutes ago in a letter dated today from President Obama to John Boehner (R-OH), speaker of the House, and Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), president pro tempore of the Senate. The letter was released publicly by the White House.

A total of 100 combat-equipped troops will eventually be deployed, with the rest being dispatched in the next month, according to the letter. “However, although the U.S. forces are combat-equipped, they will only be providing information, advice, and assistance to partner nation forces, and they will not themselves engage LRA forces unless necessary for self-defense,” Obama writes.

We’ll have more on this surprise move and what exactly the LRA is shortly.

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