After the September 11 attacks , the United States designated the LRA as a terrorist group . On 28 August 2008 , the United States Treasury Department placed Kony on its list of " Specially Designated Global Terrorists " , a designation that carries financial and other penalties . In November 2008 , U.S. President George W. Bush signed the directive to the United States Africa Command to provide financial and logistical assistance to the Ugandan government during the unsuccessful 2008 – 2009 Garamba offensive , code-named Operation Lightning Thunder . No U.S. troops were directly involved , but 17 U.S. advisers and analysts provided intelligence , equipment , and fuel to Ugandan military counterparts . The offensive pushed Kony from his jungle camp , but he was not captured . One hundred children were rescued . In May 2010 , U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law the Lord 's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act , legislation aimed at stopping Kony and the LRA . The bill passed unanimously in the United States Senate on 11 March . On 12 May 2010 , a motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill was agreed to by voice vote ( two-thirds being in the affirmative ) in the House of Representatives . In November 2010 , President Obama delivered a strategy document to Congress asking for more funding to disarm Kony and the LRA . In October 2011 , President Obama authorized the deployment of approximately 100 combat-equipped U.S. troops to central Africa . Their goal is to help regional forces remove Kony and senior LRA leaders from the battlefield . In a letter to Congress , Obama stated : " 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 " . On 3 April 2013 , the Obama administration offered rewards of up to US$ 5 million for information leading to the arrest , transfer , or conviction of Kony , Ongwen , and Odhiambo . On March 24 , 2014 , the U.S. announced they would deploy at least four CV-22 Ospreys and refuelling planes , and 150 Air Force special forces personnel to assist in the capture of Kony
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Joseph Kony