Flapping Their Gum: Sudan Threatens U.S. Soft Drinks

ABC ^ | 06/01/07 | RUSSELL GOLDMAN

[TigerLikesRooster]

Flapping Their Gum: Sudan Threatens U.S. Soft Drinks

A Different Kind of Cola War: Sudan's Ambassador Threatens to Ban Key Soft Drink Ingredient

By RUSSELL GOLDMAN

June 1, 2007 —

The Sudanese government's response to proposed U.S. sanctions intended to force an end to the bloodshed in Darfur was short, sweet & and fizzy.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday in Washington, Sudan's ambassador the United States denied government-funded militias were killing civilians in Darfur, and threatened to cut off exports of gum arabica, a key component in soft drinks, if the Bush administration imposed economic sanctions.

"See how many people are dying in Darfur -- none," said Ambassador John Ukec Lueth, who then went on to say that economic sanctions would hurt all the people of Sudan but none more so than those suffering in Darfur.

Ukec held his press conference Wednesday, a day after President Bush pledged to impose new sanctions against Khartoum and called on the United Nations to follow suit.

The Sudanese government has long denied it sponsors or supports the Janjaweed, an Arab militia that the United States accuses of perpetrating genocide against black African herdsmen in Darfur, Sudan's western province.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Sudanese Ambassador to the U.S. John Ukec Lueth Ukec gestures during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, Wednesday, May 30, 2007. (Susan Walsh/ AP Photo)

[atomicpossum]

None listed in my Diet Pepsi.

I’m callin’ your bluff there, Mbutu.

[CaptRon]

Oh nooooooooooooooo. Stop the sanctions NOW! (Unless it doesn’t affect Pepsi).

[conservativehusker]

No Blood for Soda!!!!!!!!!!

[chaos_5]

Let them do it, soda is bad for you anyway. Besides, the gum ain't used in beer and that is all that really matters anyway.

[Uncle Miltie]

Just sent money to SaveDarfur.org.

I liked their “punish China for Sudan” advertisement in the WSJ this week.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Does that extend to “Punish Wal-mart for China in order to punish China for Sudan?”:-)

[reagan_fanatic]

As long as they don’t threaten my pizza, then I’m good with that.

[Gingersnap]

Good. We’re about 10 minutes away from collapsing the Sudanese gum market anyway since we now have alteran. We can make it here and we can make it cheaper.

Bring it, ugly bald dude.

[Red in Blue PA]

Does the Sudan have a monopoly on gum arabica? The substance is grown commercially throughout the Sahel from Senegal and Sudan to Somaliland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gum_arabic

[TigerLikesRooster]

I think Sudan is a predominant player in the market, dwarfing others, which may change quickly, if they keep this up.

[SolidWood]

Why does this terrorist, genocidal hellhole still have an embassy in the US. Throw out those thugs, and bomb them with Gum Arabica.

[RC2]

Good..............we don’t need soft drinks anyway. I do believe there are more important things in life.............like life itself.

[hunter112]

Good..............we don’t need soft drinks anyway. I do believe there are more important things in life.............like life itself.

But...but...but...'Coke is life' !!!

[Sidebar Moderator]

Please remove the profanity from your tagline.

[dighton]

The substance is grown commercially throughout the Sahel from Senegal and Sudan to Somaliland.

“All right, don’t practice your alliteration on me.”

[TigerLikesRooster]

hello, new tagline

[PissAndVinegar]

Your previous tagline wasn’t profane, it was vulgar.
There is a difference but it was proper English (and proper usage) none the less.

(ok, I’ll shut up now before I have to change my screen name :)

[Bon mots]

All of your Cola are belong to us.

[CDHart]

" the gum ain't used in beer and that is all that really matters anyway."

Right you are! :^)

Carolyn