Biden Favors U.S. Troops for Darfur (AP)

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Biden Favors U.S. Troops for Darfur

By EDITH M. LEDERER
The Associated Press
Monday, May 21, 2007; 11:07 PM

UNITED NATIONS -- Democratic presidential hopeful Joseph Biden called
again Monday for U.S. troops to help quell the violence in Sudan's Darfur
region, drawing a strong rebuke from Sudan's U.N. envoy.

The comments from the Delaware senator, who chairs the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, came as he led a bipartisan delegation to the United
Nations for talks with key U.N. officials.

"The bottom line was this: There's genocide taking place," Biden said,
adding that the world can't wait several months for action on the ground.

"Were I able to make the decision, I would impose a no-fly zone immediately,
and I would commit forces to stop the janjaweed now. But I am not making
that decision."

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/21/AR2007052101944.html

[wordpix]

1. note to Biden: there are no US forces left to stop genocide as long as

we're in Iraq. :eyes:

Does he plan to reinstate the draft?

Good question for ALL candidates who glibly talk about committing troops ANYWHERE, including Iraq.

[dave_p]

2. Empty, opportunistic grandstanding

Darfur's dwarfed by the death toll in Iraq, and there's 150,000 US troops there: what makes idiots like Biden think they'd do any better in Darfur, even if there were troops to spare?

And the world can wait. It's waited years for a settlement, and last year it came close to getting one. Diplomatic pressure, mediation and support for the existing international operation offer far better results than turning Sudan into the next Somalia, or Iraq.

[LBJDemocrat]

4. Good point n/t

[Adelante]

3. This is unrealistic if not altogether nuts

I favor intervention in Darfur, but by NATO and regional troops.

[dave_p]

5. Nato doesn't

Regional troops are there. Nobody else in Nato wants to be there except in supporting the AU effort. This is a US obsession: Europe's seen any number of Darfurs come and go throughout Africa, with no US pressure for action, and sees this for what it is: a political football blown up by the US right, with oil lurking in the background.