The US units will deploy in Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. But they'll first be subject to approval by regional governments, Obama said in a message to Congress. 

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By Josephine Uwineza 

But opposition Senator John McCain warned that the decision to send US troops into African countries was ill-advised, coming on the heels of the Afghanistan and Iraq experiences.

"I worry (that) with the best of intentions we'll somehow get engaged in a commitment that we can't get out of. That's happened before in our history," he said. 

McCain, an American hero of the Vietnam war, agreed that the Lord's Resistance Army rebel movement has been "guilty of the most serious crime. And human rights organisations all over the world want this to stop."

But the high-ranking senator, who was the 2008 Republican presidential candidate and a leading voice in Congress on military matters, demanded an "explanation" as to why Obama did not seek the input of lawmakers before engaging US forces.

"I'm very disappointed... that the administration has not consulted with members of Congress before taking such action," McCain said. 

"I've been under four presidents, and this is the least communicative with Congress of any administration that I've ever seen," he said. "Maybe it has something to do with the polarisation of politics, but it is unfortunate." 

Ugandan forces to lead operations
Obama announced on Friday that the US forces would act as advisers to partner Ugandan forces trying to remove Joseph Kony and other senior leaders of the LRA from the battlefield.

LRA rebels are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including terrorising, murdering, raping and kidnapping thousands of people in the four nations. The 20-year conflict in Uganda resulted in tens of thousands of victims.