Uganda and Sudan announced that they will restore full diplomatic ties. Full diplomatic relations were broken in 1995. Thus the rapprochement continues, despite the contretemps over Ugandas decision to support a UN resolution that slapped Sudan for its (lousy) human rights record. StrategyPage has published several reports on Ugandas permitted military operations in south Sudan against the LRA. Thats what Ugandas gotten out of the new Kampala-Khartoum political relationship. What is Sudan getting? Consider this political rapprochement as a by-product of the War on Terror. Sudan is trying to show the US that it can cooperate with a non-Muslim neighbor. In a very real sense, Sudan is trying to buy Ugandas political goodwill. Ultimately, Khartoum also hopes to reduce Ugandan support for the SPLA. However, were willing to bet the hard looks the US has given Sudan since 9/11 have had an impact. For Khartoum, selling out the LRA is no big deal. Khartoum helped create that pseudo-Christian guerrilla army to harass Uganda. But after Al Qaedas attacks on Washington and New York, aggravating Uganda (which has many internationally connected Anglicans and Roman Catholics in its population) isnt a smart political move. (Austin Bay)
