George Clooney has espoused the genocide in Darfur as an international tragedy and is calling on the world to come to the aid of those suffering there. George, don’t wait for the United Nations to react. While diplomats debate whether or not there is in fact a genocide being perpetrated, hundred of thousands are dying. Mark Steyn makes this point in a recent column.
I wish the celebs well. Those of us who wanted action on Darfur years ago will hope their advocacy produces more results than ours did. Clooney’s concern for the people of the region appears to be genuine and serious. But unless he’s also serious about backing the only forces in the world with the capability and will to act in Sudan, he’s just another showboating pretty boy of no use to anyone.
And he is right. The UN is a bloated, inefficient and in my view corrupt organization dedicated more to anti-Semite bigotry than aiding Darfur or any other legitimate people in need of international aid and protection.
America and other willing nations are the only hope to bring the killings to a conclusion. We will appeal to the UN, but of course diplomatic considerations will fail to bring relief. And when others bemoan American arrogance and self interest, remind them of our generosity and compassion. From the Boston Globe:
Bush said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would go to the United Nations today to press for a new UN resolution increasing the number of peacekeepers.
”Darfur has a chance to begin anew,” Bush said.
He also urged Congress to act on a request for $225 million in emergency food aid for Darfur, and said he was ordering the emergency purchase of more than 44,000 tons of food and was dispatching five ships to carry it to the region.
The $225 million requested in March is in addition to $215 million already contributed to the World Food Program, said Randall Tobias, administrator of the US Agency for International Development.
”The rest of the world should step up,” Tobias said in an interview.
The second-largest contributor, he said, was Libya, which donated $4.5 million for food, followed by Canada, with $3 million.[emphysis mine]
Where is western Europe’s aid? What about France and Germany? America remains the most generous, compassionate nation on the Earth today. And part of our compassion is to commit force to aid oppressed in the world.
