FAS

CRS Views U.S. Response to Lord’s Resistance Army

11.22.11 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

The U.S. government response to the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a brutal paramilitary group in Uganda, is discussed in a new report from the Congressional Research Service.

The Obama Administration has provided humanitarian and operational support to Ugandan efforts to counter the LRA.  Most recently, the U.S. has authorized the deployment of U.S. military advisers to assist the Ugandan military in the anti-LRA campaign.

“The U.S. approach to the LRA raises a number of issues for policymakers, some of which could have implications far beyond central Africa,” the CRS report said. “A key question, for some, is whether the response is commensurate with the level of threat the LRA poses to U.S. interests, and whether the deployment of U.S. military personnel could lead to unintended consequences. More broadly, decisions on this issue could potentially be viewed as a precedent for U.S. responses to similar situations in the future.”

A copy of the new report was obtained by Secrecy News.  See “The Lord’s Resistance Army: The U.S. Response,” November 21, 2011.

publications
See all publications
Government Capacity
Blog
What’s Next for Federal Evidence-Based Policymaking

In recent months, we’ve seen much of these decades’ worth of progress erased. Contracts for evaluations of government programs were canceled, FFRDCs have been forced to lay off staff, and federal advisory committees have been disbanded.

11.13.25 | 6 min read
read more
Global Risk
Report
Inspections Without Inspectors: A Path Forward for Nuclear Arms Control Verification with “Cooperative Technical Means”

This report outlines a framework relying on “Cooperative Technical Means” for effective arms control verification based on remote sensing, avoiding on-site inspections but maintaining a level of transparency that allows for immediate detection of changes in nuclear posture or a significant build-up above agreed limits.

11.10.25 | 3 min read
read more
Government Capacity
Blog
A Research, Learning, and Opportunity Agenda for Rebuilding Trust in Government

At a recent workshop, we explored the nature of trust in specific government functions, the risk and implications of breaking trust in those systems, and how we’d known we were getting close to specific trust breaking points.

11.10.25 | 6 min read
read more
Education & Workforce
day one project
Policy Memo
Analytical Literacy First: A Prerequisite for AI, Data, and Digital Fluency

tudents in the 21st century need strong critical thinking skills like reasoning, questioning, and problem-solving, before they can meaningfully engage with more advanced domains like digital, data, or AI literacy.

11.07.25 | 13 min read
read more