Well, I brought one clear idea away from the debate. Neither candidate is anywhere near the realm of reality in formulating how they want to deal with genocide in the Sudan or nuclear ambitions in Iran.
Both want to 'give support' to the African Union in dealing with the genocide in the Sudan? Hello! The African Union is busy pretending there is no genocide in the Sudan.
Both are playing the negotiations game in Iran. Hello! Iran wants nuclear weapons. They have made that quite clear. They have engaged in negotiations for years. All they are doing is playing for time. Can the international community at least pretend they might try sanctions? Of course not. But both candidates pretend that there is gathering world pressure on Iran. Earth to presidential candidates--French griping does not equal pressure. Bush of all people ought to know that.
Both want to 'give support' to the African Union in dealing with the genocide in the Sudan? Hello! The African Union is busy pretending there is no genocide in the Sudan.
This is simply not true. Nigeria is prepared to send in troops if it can get greater financial assistance. Nigeria has been very active in peacekeeping in Africa and has troops in Liberia as well. Now clearly my nation of birth is nowhere near as powerful or as competent as my adopted nation (the U.S.), but implying that the African Union is unprepared to do anytthing about Darfur is simply false.
Furthermore, if your response is going to be "Only 5000 trooops " save it for someone who shares your preaning sense of self-satisfaction.
Posted by: WillieStyle | October 01, 2004 at 12:05 AM
You're killing me. Why the love of sanctions all of a sudden? I surmise that you weren't a fan of Clinton's.
Sanctions are brutal and unwieldy. They inevitably harm most the people who deserve it least. And the people who deserve it most generally care the least about economic stability and viability. Or as Milton quoted Satdammn, "I'd rather rule in Hell than serve in Heaven"
The only thing that will stop the Darfur massacres is human intervention. Probably holding guns. Hopefully some holding medicine and shelter.
The same sort of human intervention that is either snortingly derided or tearjerkingly elucidated depending on which side of the political ping pong table comfortable Americans find themself on that year.
Posted by: sidereal | October 01, 2004 at 12:10 AM
I was very happy to hear Kerry say he'd commit some US troops to Sudan if need be as the seed crystal of an African/multinational force. I think I didn't hear Bush say so.
Posted by: rilkefan | October 01, 2004 at 12:12 AM
I don't love sanctions, though I supported them under Clinton. But they are used as a first step by the international community to show seriousness. Well actually they are pretty much the ONLY step the international community even attempts to use. And if you take the military off the table and you take sanctions off the table you aren't left with much are you?
Interesting how you snark at the concept that I might think 5,000 marginally trained African Union troops might not be enough. Let's turn that around. Do you affirmatively believe that 5,000 troops could stop the genocide in the Sudan?
Posted by: Sebastian Holsclaw | October 01, 2004 at 12:20 AM
Interesting how you snark at the concept that I might think 5,000 marginally trained African Union troops might not be enough. Let's turn that around. Do you affirmatively believe that 5,000 troops could stop the genocide in the Sudan?
I think 5,000 troops would help, just as they have in Liberia. Remember, it was "marginally trained" African troops that unltimately stopped the slaughter in Rwanda. I think 5,000 troops would save lives. And those "marginally trained" largely Nigerian troops are far better than anything the Sudanese militias could throw at them. Finally, I think those 5,000 troops (who I pray will be deployed soon) would do far more to save human life and curtail suffering than all the bloviating of Sebastian "Spain, France, Nigeria et al. cannot live up to my exacting standards of sacrifice" Holsclaw.
Posted by: WillieStyle | October 01, 2004 at 12:27 AM
Furthermore, I take it from your last comment that you'll soon be editing out that "Hello! The African Union is busy pretending there is no genocide in the Sudan." nonsense.
Posted by: WillieStyle | October 01, 2004 at 12:30 AM
I think not. The AU wants to control 'the unrest' in the Sudan. They don't call it genocide.
Posted by: Sebastian Holsclaw | October 01, 2004 at 12:43 AM
You've resorted to splitting hairs I see.
Clearly, if one is only intereseted in "controlling unrest" not "stopping genocide" then U.S. support for ones actions is simply ridiculous. Truly if Kerry or Bush had an ounce of your moral clarity and courage the world would be a better place.
Pathetic!
Posted by: WillieStyle | October 01, 2004 at 12:50 AM
Yes 5,000 is better than zero, but not nearly enough.
BTW where is the EU. I heard they have money. I keep hearing from Kerry that they have troops. What is up with them?
Posted by: Sebastian Holsclaw | October 01, 2004 at 01:03 AM
This post, as noted above, is simply innacurate.
Posted by: praktike | October 01, 2004 at 09:42 AM
Who in the AU has called it genocide? Where is the EU and its money? Where are Kerry's much-hyped European troops? No-one, no-where, and never-coming.
Pretending otherwise isn't only inaccurate, it betrays precisely the kind of foreign policy pretending that would extend the war on terrorism for decades longer than we can afford.
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