The Western powers bear "criminal responsibility" for Rwanda's 1994 genocide because they did not attempt to stop it, the commander of the U.N. peacekeeping force in the country at the time has said.
I agree, up to a point. We could have stopped it, if the will had been there. Ultimately, the real issue behind all this is the "World's Policeman" argument. If we actually believe that it's our responsibility (and the rest of the civilized world's) to stop genocide, like we've said in treaties we've signed, then we are as culpable as the cop who stands aside and watches a murder in the street. If not, however, well, we should stop pretending that we care and admit that we'll get involved when it's in our interest.
Watching the "Frontline" last week on Rwanda, the thing that appalled me the most (after the piles of butchered bodies, that is) was the State Dept. spokesman studiously avoiding using the word "genocide" and fumbling with the answer when someone asked if she was under orders not to use that word. The other thing was everyone in a position of authority saying "we didn't know." Everyone knew. It was on the news every night for three months. They didn't WANT to know, because then they would have been obligated to do something.