Posted on 04/17/2005 10:38:34 AM PDT by justme24
Once again, the NYTIMES is using the catch-22 agains the US - damned if you do (Iraq), damned if you don't (Sudan). Clown boy's article claims that MTV has been more outspoken and active on Sudan than Bush. The author doesn't mention once the UN, French, Canadian, and Chinese misteps on this issue of course.
Bush is writing another chapter of looking the other way on geocide in Sudan. "President Bush seems paralyzed in the face of the slaughter. He has done a fine job of providing humanitarian relief, but he has refused to confront Sudan forcefully or raise the issue himself before the world. Incredibly, Mr. Bush managed to get through recent meetings with Vladimir Putin, Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair and the entire NATO leadership without any public mention of Darfur"
"Mr. Bush hasn't even taken a position on the Darfur Accountability Act and other bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senators Jon Corzine and Sam Brownback to put pressure on Sudan. Does Mr. Bush really want to preserve his neutrality on genocide?"
"So it appalls me that we who have everything can't muster the simple humanity to try to save their lives"
I had to reply of course, so I sent an email as follows - if I'm off on something here, please correct me, because this seems outrageous what this guy is saying compared to the reality I seem to think exits:
Just read your article. I'm a little confused, perhaps brainwashed by the "vast right-wing conspiracy," please help, because it seems to me that the motto, "all the news that's fit to print" seems to only include making the US look bad, while ignoring the root causes of these complex issues and denying the US' good faith efforts. You have not presented the US position fairly or remotely accurately. To make it like we've done and said nothing tells me either you're not paying attention, or you just want to attack Bush as per the usual. It would've been one thing if you accurately said what we've done and said it's not enough, but you didn't - you made it like we've sat back closed eyes like Clinton did in Rwanda. Nice try. Moreover, you have kindly failed to direct any negative attention toward those who are grossly more culpable in this situation. Please correct me if I am wrong, I have delineated my premises below with some citations, please don't be close minded about the sources, since the NYTIMES doesn't seem to see this as news fit to print, I have to turn to such sources:
Wasn't it the US (Powell) who first called what's going on there genocide? Hasn't the US been pushing the UN for action in Sudan for the last 2+ yrs? Isn't it also true that France and China have been a barrier to sanctions against the gov't because of their oil dealings with the Sudanese gov't? Aren't we always being lambasted for "policing the world" and "butting in" - can't you see a bit of a double standard here - damned if you do, damned if you don't? Who's responsibility is this - the US or the UN? Ok, of course it's every human beings', but what I mean is, shouldn't the UN be the most outspoken active group on this issue, can you honestly say they've taken the lead, more so than the US? Isn't it again the UN standing in the way - they're the ones who won't call it genocide, they're also the ones who have rammed this ICC thing down our throats, playing politics with human suffering yet again - they wouldn't budge on that knowing that the US wanted action but refused to go along with the ICC, so by linking them together the US either had to yield credibility to the ICC or stand in the way of action in Sudan - you don't see that as a problem? Isn't it a remarkable demonstration of concern that the US put aside their position on this for the people pf Sudan? Where's the war for oil protestors on this issue - how come there's no "Sudanese Suffering for Oil" protests at Chinese, French, and Canadian embassies?
2001: "President Bush has expressed deep concern over this genocidal war. In fact, Secretary of State Colin Powell told a House committee last week that "There is perhaps no greater tragedy on the face of the Earth today than the tragedy that is unfolding in the Sudan." http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/3/20/230301.shtml "China, a permanent council member, said immediately after the vote that it would veto any future resolution that sought to impose sanctions on Sudan" http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/9/19/113723.shtml "Last week, the Bush administration for the first time called the attacks "genocide," a crime punishable under a 1948 U.N. convention." "In an angry rebuttal, Erwa said the U.S. Congress of believing "it is the only conscience of the world, and indeed that they have the divine right to decide on the destinies of peoples." http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/9/19/113723.shtml "The United States circulated three Sudan resolutions Tuesday - one authorizing a peacekeeping force, another imposing sanctions, and a third tackling the issue of where to punish those responsible for atrocities" http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/3/23/224746.shtml "European, Canadian and Far Eastern corporations have entered partnerships with Sudan's government-owned Greater Nile Petroleum company" http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/4/30/175824.shtml ""Oil has brought 50,000 Chinese and Canadians to our doorstep, in collusion with our killers," Sudanese Christian leaders told the Rev. Herb McMullen, an Episcopal priest from Fairfax, Va., during his recent fact-finding tour." http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/4/4/202524.shtml In 2002 Bush signed the Sudan Peace Act http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2348687.stm http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040407-2.html UN failure: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/4/20/165110.shtml
Why is all this absent from your discussion, it took me less than a half hour to find this info with a little interest searching, what's the explanation for this missing?
I read this article (As an ASSIGNMENT for class) Libby Teacher...I wrote a response essay along the same lines. Good Job.
Even my very liberal friend agrees that with the US and the "world community" we are damned if we do, damned if we don't.
Europe was wailing and whining and crying non-stop because they could not participate in the Iraq solution...
Why don't we hear as much wailing and moaning to participate in the Sudan? How much more transparent does it need to get?
Trying to reason with The New York Times? What a waste of time!
point well taken, what was I thinking?
Kristof can %&*(off.
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