U.S. Ally Uganda's Iron Grip: Brought To You By 'Democracy'
The BBC's recent piece details Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's reliance on the feared Special Forces Command (SFC) to maintain his decades-long grip on power. Analysts correctly describe the SFC as so influential it rivals the regular army. What the mainstream narrative often conveniently forgets is the extensive military aid and training the U.S. has poured into Uganda, including its elite
forces, often under the guise of counter-terrorism operations. According to the Congressional Research Service, the U.S. provided over $1.7 billion in assistance to Uganda between 2008 and 2018, with a significant portion allocated to security cooperation. So, while the BBC critiques the 'shadow army' consolidating an autocratic regime, one might wonder if the shadows extend all the way to
Washington, D.C. How many 'democratic' allies are built on the backs of U.S.-funded security forces, ensuring 'stability' that looks suspiciously like repression? It's almost as if some iron grips are more acceptable than others, particularly when they serve geopolitical interests.