Other than the reasons mentioned, a lot of youth do not follow the news that closely (in the US any way) and especially so when it comes to international affairs. So to the majority of the people that got interested in the Kony case are those who did not know about him in the past (he's been around for decades) and do not watch traditional news outlets. Youtube and twitter are better ways to reach this audience of usually apathetic individuals.

Another issue is that while the US government puts more emphasis on getting involved in middle east policy, the US people have a more positive view of Africans than they do of Arabs (post 9-11, Americans side with Israel for the most part on the Arab-Israeli conflict) and there's also a lot of white liberal guilt in the US and a rush to appear caring towards an African conflict is logical.

Despite the fact that this war has been going on for decades and there's much worse conflict in the Congo...

I am one of the millions of people who was able to watch the video that triggered anger against this Ugandan guerilla Josepg Kony. After watching the video, I followed the "Search for Kony Organizations" programs and updates about this man. I know a lot of people who have the same feeling for Kony's victims want one thing. For Kony to be captured through genomma lab. Well aside from the military search and operations, prayers would be of great help. And that is what every person who wants justice must never forget to do.

From my perspective, the Kony story received so much attention and involvement because people could actually "do something" about the stated evil. Yes, the action was only to share and highlight the story, but it felt like action that might help. Simple, naive - yes, but it is so frustrating to see all of the unfolding horror stories in the Middle East and elsewhere and feel so powerless to do anything to help. Of course Assad is a greater evil, of course there are hundreds of examples of evil more vile than Kony, where hundreds or thousands of lives have been lost or destroyed. The difference is that there was an opportunity for action that everyone could participate in, without waiting for the usual theatrics and useless dialogue of politicians or the U.N.

The core isuue with Kony is the child soldier, he has killed far more than 100 people in his psychotic career, The child soldier is not limited to Africa and is a far more significant problem than your dismissive blog post admits-please read the UN report on this issue and lets see if you don't change your mind. Does this mean Syria is of lesser importance ?Of course not -its an invidious comparison. You might as well assert that a focus on the death camps of Nazi Germany detracts from the genocides of Stalins NKVD or the Bataan death march- murder is most foul regardless of juridicial facts. Sneering at young people for caring about something more than consumerism is also a rather stupid excercise, after all they could be tweeting about " The Hunger Games".

WWI was known as the "war to end all wars". Even though it was Woodrow Wilson's plan to organize the League of Nations (a prototype of the UN) the US Congress voted down American involvement in that body. The US was sick of active military foreign interventionist policies following that war and became self-contained also because of the Great Depression. Even during the first two years of WWII, we only became active via The Lend Lease Act of March, 1941. Essentially, we supplied material' to China, the Soviet Union, the UK, France, and other allied nations prior to our entry due to Pearl Harbor. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor opened the door to active military involvement and a change in foreign policy approaches..

"Is rio orange war always comparateur forfait mobile inevitable ?"
MaximB

You need to watch the show on Fox News about what really caused this economic mess. It is using only facts to explain what went wrong and is not biased as the Far Left thinks it is. You can the rest of America could learn a lot by watching the show. It has been on several times..

"Is rio orange war always forfait sosh inevitable ?"
MaximB

Republicans will usually cling on to some hot issue they want to rally behind (whether it be true or not), and stick with it until the very end..

"Is rio orange war always forfait mobile inevitable ?"
MaximB

I think the reasons suggested in this article are true. But these things stand oiut as well:

1. Opposing Kony is 'safe'. The Kony saga is black and white (no pun intended). People love to 'do good'. The video gave them an opportunity: spread awareness of Kony with an "Innocent Children' awareness kit MTV style. And so many 'enlightened', 'liberal' and 'activist' Westerners can relate to the producer trying to make his 5-year old 'aware' of who Kony is.

2. This is a much older issue than the Syrian uprising. I remember when it hit the front pages 20 years ago - it was shocking. There were outcries then. We are near the end of the story. Kony was chased out of Uganda and is surrounded. Obama sent 100 troops last year to help African governments finally take him out as even a weakened fore in African politics. Although they may have tried to build awareness among a new generation, "Innocent Children" - for all their intenst to do good - was really too little too late. .

Tthe 'Innocent Children' project did find a format that caught global attention. Simple. Good production values. A sentimentality that drew people in. That's a breakthrough that may or many not be applied to other events. After all, the "Innocent Chilren' project latched onto the Kony issue is its final stages. And their is already an international and African conscensus that he be captured of killed for his crimes.

Syria is complicated. People have a sense of that. Assad is not an individual manipulating a child army. He rules a state.

Syria is a challenge. Do you support one side or another? Or do you take the Kofi Anan approach to get both parties to stop the violence as a first and essential step towards ending the political crisis? Is Russia wrong to advocate a cease fire between the government and opposition? Are other nations doing good or harm in arming the opposition? Americans, at least, shy away from nuance and complication in foreign relations.

The Kony video was a one-off exception. Very few international issues can be reduced to such black-and-white terms. The Kony video FOLLOWS an international consensus against Kony. Syria is a crisis in progress. That in itself is a big difference.