Bush must pressure Sudan on Dafur
The following editorial appeared in Newsday on Friday, Feb. 15:
Steven Spielberg played his role last week to bring renewed attention to the genocide in Darfur, now it's President George W. Bush's turn in the lights.
The acclaimed film director withdrew as a consultant to the Chinese government for the opening and closing ceremonies of this year's Olympics Games, in an attempt to embarrass it into action. Bush, looking to polish his legacy, should use his trip to five other African nations to pressure Sudan to resolve this humanitarian crisis.
Since 2003, when Sudan's Arab government retaliated against rebels in Darfur in its far western region, more than 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced. China is now the biggest obstacle to meaningful international sanctions to pressure the regime in Khartoum to stop the killings and accept United Nations peacekeepers. The oil-gorging Chinese buy two-thirds of Darfur's output. And China, the top weapons supplier to the Islamist regime, gives Sudan diplomatic protection at the UN by using its powerful veto in the Security Council to protect its trading partner.
The president's trip comes a month after an American diplomat was assassinated in Khartoum. The need for international action is urgent. Security must be restored and a plan for national elections developed. In the past, Bush has talked tough about the Sudanese genocide. Now he needs to show some muscle.
