Obama, Clinton And McCain All Say They Are Committed To Darfur
The three presidential candidates have taken a break from their attacks on foreign policy, coming together to release a joint statement on a crucial humanitarian issue.
"Today, we wish to make clear to the Sudanese government that on this moral issue of tremendous importance, there is no divide between us," the candidates declare in a joint statement released by the Save Darfur Coalition. "If peace and security for the people of Sudan are not in place when one of us is inaugurated as president on Jan. 20, 2009, we pledge that the next administration will pursue these goals with unstinting resolve."
However, as the New York Times points out: "The statement is largely symbolic because the three are not proposing any specific Congressional action against Sudan. Nor are they calling for tangible steps by the United States to put pressure on the Sudanese government."
So did George Bush the 43rd.
This is meaningless unless one of these three actually intend to do something with their 'being for' Darfur.
May 28, 2008 9:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
True. At least they said something.
I don't know what they can do besides send troops and we ain't got any.
May 28, 2008 9:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
We could also send more humanitarian aid, pressure the international community to send more peacekeepers, pressure China to stop pouring money into Darfur... there's lots we could be doing.
Hopefully #44 won't be talking out of his ass the way #43 was when he said he was "for" Darfur.
May 28, 2008 9:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
WATER! Climate appropriate grains instead of fucking wheat. Education. Television cameras with satellite feeds. Fair-trade oil contracts . . .
Am I the only idiot that remembers the Peace Corps?
May 28, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Whatever happened to giving folk refrigerators and air-conditioning units and then charging them for the electricity?
Economics drives civilization far surer than warfare and threats.
I am begining to believe that I live in Bizzaro World and am the only one left that is marginally sane.
May 28, 2008 9:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for answering my question - I love that. That's what keeps me here.
retroknit and Richard - thanks for schooling me on this. Seriously.
May 28, 2008 9:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you retroknit. I feel better now.
May 28, 2008 9:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
One of the three might try to show some foreign policy leadership and call the Chinese out for their lack of leadership in Darfur. As the Tibetans have shown, this Olympic year presents the perfect opportunity to allow the Chinese to 'showcase' their international leadership and human rights credentials.
For goodness sakes, the Sudanese just sent money to help out the Chinese earthquake victims.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/28/content_8271501.htm
Where's Chinese goodwill towards the Sudanese in Darfur?
Where's US diplomacy prodding the Chinese to help resolve the crisis in Darfur?
May 28, 2008 9:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Since we're talking international, can I go OT here and just say the article I read this morning about Nepal sounded very hopeful. They're going to vote on making Nepal a republic.
I realize the people behind this are Maoist rebels, but if they actually pull this off - wow. My hope is that the Maoists realize that Nepal has only one thing going for it - the Himalayas, and tourism.
They've been hurting really badly since the Maoists started fighting because tourists are not coming to Nepal like they were; the chances of running into a group of armed Maoists on one the trails was pretty high. I really have hopes the Maoists will do this right - though I know that's a long shot.
May 28, 2008 9:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Between Regan's unending war on education and Gringrich's Contract on America . . . AND their words being made flesh in their demon disciple Bush43 . . . Oh yeah, fuck Milton Friedman, too.
We got work to do. We have three decades of stupidity to burn through and I crave 'sunlight' and enlightenment.
I'll stop the scary rants now. Sorry.
May 28, 2008 9:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
for anyone who's fuzzy on what's going on in Darfur, I recommend the documentary "The Devil Came on Horseback" (also a book now, i think). It gives an amazing, harrowing picture of the situation for ordinary people in Darfur as recorded by an ex-Marine.
May 28, 2008 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know what's going on.
My only question was: What can we do, given our situation currently. We have no troops - if something happens here at home, we're fucked - we got nobody. Katrina proved that.
So you know, I questioned what exactly we could do. And several people answered me.
May 28, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Which is why Tena, we can harness the power of the African Union to play a leading role in Dafur while we provide humanitarian and logistical support. This way we could be killing two birds with the single proverbial.
* We will be seen as taking an active role in resolving an international crisis.
* We would be empowering the African union to take leadership in resolving continental problems, therefore we would not be seen as trying to impose our Will on the continent.
That I think would be a better solution than sending in aircraft carriers and smart bombs.
May 28, 2008 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
With Richardson on board, Obama has some key help to get something done in the Sudan.
According to Wiki, Richardson has already negotiated a couple ceasefires in Darfur, and as Governor of New Mexico, no less.
That man's career amazes me!
Just another reason he should be Secretary of State, imho.....
May 28, 2008 9:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
He would be an excellent Sec of State, but Biden might be better.
May 28, 2008 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, but Richardson is clearly more qualified. My opinion, but the man has negotiated with North Korea and Darfur while he was a governor. Both of these countries specifically asked for him. He is very well-respected across the world, much more so than Biden.
May 28, 2008 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't you wish Bush hadn't squandered our authority internationally, and stretched our military the point of breaking? As of this moment, we can't push the UN Security Council to take any real action, and we have no military resources to provide to the effort even if we could....
Jan. 20, 2009 cannot come soon enough.
May 28, 2008 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
But in the meantime, I pay attention to what SaveDarfur.org is doing, and take action as they ask for it. It's a start, until our government and position in the world improve, it is the best we got.
May 28, 2008 10:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm so sick of "statements" about the GENOCIDE in Darfur. Fucking do something, and then I'll be impressed. This means absolutely nothing to me.
May 28, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink