Too bad Sudan doesn't have oil

[Zoorock Girl!]

Even Powell has called it genocide, but at the same time said the U.S. wouldn't be sending troops.

So I guess when it comes right down to it, African lives are just not worth as much as the rest of the world's. Of course I don't actually think that, but would you agree that's the way it seems?

Forgive me if there's another thread on this, but I looked and I didn't find any.

 

[STING2]

I disagree. The United States currently does not have enough military strength to go into every country where there is instability. Its resources are focused on the area's that have the greatest impact on the rest of the planet. France and Germany have done very little in Iraq and Afghanistan. They easily have resources that could be committed to a place like Sudan. While a thread like this typically would point fingers at the United States, it ends up pointing fingers at some European countries that are not heavily involved in any operation anywhere.

 

[nbcrusader]

Why isn't France acting? The certainly are not tied up in other countries....

 

[anitram]

Doesn't Germany have something in their constitution about not sending troops out of their country? I remember it being an issue during the war in the Balkans, because after WW2, Germany no longer wanted their armed military units outside their own borders, which is understandable.

I don't understand why France isn't there, but then again neither is Canada. The position Canada seems to be taking at the moment is that they will start by giving $20 million for peacekeeping and continue the financial support, but that it should be the African League of Nations which actually provides the troops.

 

[Zoorock Girl!]

I disagree. The United States currently does not have enough military strength to go into every country where there is instability. Its resources are focused on the area's that have the greatest impact on the rest of the planet. France and Germany have done very little in Iraq and Afghanistan. They easily have resources that could be committed to a place like Sudan. While a thread like this typically would point fingers at the United States, it ends up pointing fingers at some European countries that are not heavily involved in any operation anywhere.

Ultimately, I don't care who helps out, and I'm sure the Sudanese don't care either.

But it would be nice if someone did.

 

[A_Wanderer]

The Sudan does have oil, and here you may see the UN in action. China, Pakistan and France all have interests in Sudanese oil. Those blacks in the south have the bad luck of being in the way of the Arab governments intention to exploit the oil, the regime in Khartohm *has* to exterminate those blacks to keep its oil interests secure.

Those buyers have a vested interest in seeing the Africans wiped out so they will obfuscate any action and do their best to avoid intervention (for example opposing the sanctions and/or the use of the word genocide). Its the same game they played in Iraq, why on earth do the French (The French Government, not the people) whore themselves out for blood money, I know it shouldn't surprise me but I just want a freaking reason.

 

[verte76]

Quite frankly it angers me that France isn't doing anything. They can. They're not committed in Iraq. The EU is sitting on their asses. Meanwhile people are dying.

 

[Klaus]

anitram
you're partially correct. There is a passage in the German constitution that troops are only allowed to go to foreign countries if it's under NATO or UN control.
But besides that Germany had, (less than the USA) the 2nd most Soldiers in foreign countries (for various peace missions). Don't know if that's still true today.

 

[AcrobatMan]

now dont blame US for the genocide in Sudan.............

please, talk sense

 

[RademR]

I think what Zoorock Girl is trying to say is that since there are no weapons of mass destruction (which is the reasons why we went into Iraq, btw), now they are using the excuse "we have to liberate the Iraqi people." So shes saying why weren't we investing time in Africa before this Iraqi war. There's ethnic cleansing all over that continent, people getting slaughtered ever day. AIDS, poverty, corrupt leaders...but we go into Iraq?

Doesnt make sense and strategically it doesnt help the war on terror, Saddam didnt help Ossama (everyone who has a knowledge of this issue knows these two men HATED each other). Every 9-11 hijacker was Saudi Arabian, but we don't mention asking that government to accept any ultimatums. Saddam couldn't touch America and he was never a threat to this country, he was like a puppet who Bush sr. could have taken out with a snap of his wrist.

I grew up in the middle east for 12 years (father worked for the UN) and no one here knows the middle east more than me. Saddam was an awful leader who deserved to be hung out on the soccer fields like he did to so many people. However, the people that get tortured and executed are POLITCAL figures wrapped up in his world. 98% of Iraqis DONT CARE ABOUT SADDAM, they live ordinary lives, own shops, go to school, just like the children of this country. People have to realize that this is not a winable war in Iraq, Muslims are people with VERY strong beliefs. Many are willing to die for these beliefs, and there are SO many sects of Islam in Iraq. And guess what, one of the largest ones in the country feel they aren't getting a proper say in the new government. So their rebelling, violence, killing of our troops...and when they finally get a say, another sect will be pissed off and rebel. I dont think that people that watch the news in the States realize what a delicate situation this is.

I think the war on terror is very neccessary and it can be won. But it will take a long time, Afghanistan was a proper step that had to be taken, but I dont agree with Iraq at all. And btw, no im not a democrat or a republican, I'm a bi-partisan person who would have probably voted for Bush in 2000 (was a Dutch citizen back then) but I dont think hes made the right moves with Iraq. And also for the record, I wasnt a big fan of "Faranheit 9-11"

 

[Zoorock Girl!]

RademR, I'd kiss you if I could. Thank you for expressing my thoughts perfectly.

And to make it quite clear, I'm not blaming the U.S. for the genocide in Sudan. That would be ridiculous. But why is there so little help? Why doesn't the world care?

 

[A_Wanderer]

The US has been trying to help, through the avenues of the UN. It gets a little difficult to make a difference when your resolutions are watered down by governments with a vested interest in seeing the "rebel" problem solved in Dafour.

 

[Klaus]

Noone ever thought that (international) politics is an easy thing, that's why we need smart people in these offices

 

[A_Wanderer]

In the realm of politics decisiveness is king. Intelligence is important but it doesnt matter unless you can outmaneuver your opponents. Especially when dealing with this situation, nothing will happen because the UN is a bunch of self-interested nations who dont give a fuck about human life.

 

[Klaus]

Just an inteligent president without power is nothing. A dumb president with power is a danger to the mandkind.

UN is a bunch of self-interested nations

Not only the UN, most (all?) nations are self-interested. Look every nation i know treat people from other nations worse than their own people with gives you a feeling how they care about human beeings. If you look at the free trade all nations are pro free trade as long as they get more than they loose - for the other things they start to restrict free trade or start to give government money to companies who aren't able to survive in the "free trade"

So.. getting severall (or even all) nations on one table allways will result in a bunch of self-interested nations who dont give a fuck about human life.
(Just look what all our noble governments do to ensure that their can continue to sell their weapons worldwide and that they can continue to supports terrorists who target regimes they disslike

In the end - the UN with "a bunch of self-interested nations..." is still better than no institution where governments can meet regularely. It's not an excelent but the only platform to enstrengthen international laws and act global (fighting terrorism)