Uganda, Feb. 28 -- Every Christmas holiday, for many years, some cows would be herded through the jungle of northern Uganda and quietly handed over to a waiting group of rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army. We were at war with the LRA but these gifts and other favours were known and approved by high-ranking officials in the military and political command. What some might consider a criminal and perhaps even treasonable waste of taxpayer money was a back channel to facilitate negotiations with top rebel commanders to defect. Many did with valuable intelligence, allowing others to be killed or captured, ultimately degrading the LRA's morale as well as fighting and political capabilities.

Although the LRA war ended in 2005, the political e...