A Canadian man has launched an Indiegogo campaign to mount a mission to hunt despotic warlord Joesph Kony and bring him to justice.
This is the same man that the full force of the U.S. government and all the attention of one of the most viral videos in Internet history couldn’t turn up. He’s still out there, the target of international military operations. Entire teams of U.S. Special Forces are dedicated to finding and killing him. But fear no more: This Canadian vigilante will free you from tyranny.
Robert Young Pelton has set modest goal of $500,000 for his Indiegogo campaign, of which he’s raised $7,300 so far. The campaign includes various rewards for different donation levels; for a mere $25,000, you can accompany Pelton on “Expedition Kony” and traipse though the jungle on the hunt for the warlord with a machine gun and machete.
Pelton has “done work” with U.S. forces in Afghanistan, according to the Associated Press, and has also spent time in Somalia. He is the author of several books, including Come Back Alive and The World’s Most Dangerous Places.
But despite some four-star reviews on Amazon, the world’s military operators with authority on Kony are not impressed.
Ugandan military spokesman Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda seemed “perplexed” about Pelton’s plan, according to the AP, and said, “We wish him good luck. That’s all I can say.”
“One really does not know whether this scheme merits ridicule or reproach. ," said J. Peter Pham, director of the think tank Africa Center at the Atlantic Council. " The notion of asking the public to contribute to sending a self-promoting adventurer and two filmmakers off to find an elusive warlord, whom the militaries of several African countries assisted by U.S. Special Operations Forces have not managed to catch, is risible, to say the least.”
Pelton’s plan bears a lot of similarities to Gary Faulkner’s, the Osama bin Laden hunter who spent most of his savings wandering the Middle East. The only thing that separates Pelton, really, is a crowdfunding campaign and a few titles in Amazon.
It will probably be about as impactful as Faulkner’s, too. But don’t forget: Failure never stopped Faulkner from declaring success. In 2011, after the Obama administration killed Enemy No. 1, Faulkner wanted a piece of the $27 million reward that had been up for grabs. “I’m very proud of our government,” he said. "They were handed this opportunity on a platter from myself.”
For the sake of Pelton’s bank account, let’s all hope his crowdfunding campaign picks up a bit. He’s probably not going to claim a million-dollar bounty anytime soon.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Image: Stuart Price/AFP/Getty Images
This article originally published at Death and Taxes here
Death and Taxes is a Mashable Publishing Partner covering indie music, news and politics.