How is your petition supposed to help? People coming from countries that are doing the same kind of atrocities as Sudan, sign a petition demanding something has to be done about Sudan.

Why don’t we in the West set the example and put our war criminals on trial? It should be easier to do because we live in countries that are democracies. Right?

You never replied to my last post to you.

gary

Great summary of the situation. My own summary is that democracy is our best hope. And just because democracies sometimes behave badly doesn’t disprove the basic concept that rule by the people is better than rule by thugs. So how do you reign in the misbehaving democracies? You hold them all to rules and standards. You create a forum where they hold each other accountable. Something like this:

http://www.UnitedDemocraticNations.org

Until we recognize on a global level that democracy is the best system we have, we will just muddle along…one Darfur after another.

gary

FYI, I grew up in Latin America, the playground of the US, I know their role in screwing up other people countires…. I’m a political scientist by trade, and a lefty one at that. Yeah, the US and Europe’s policies in Africa and elsewhere are shit. Yes, I remember Allende and Lumumba and the f”ing alliance for progress. I actually read the Kissinger Chile documents if you ever want to discuss them. But honey, not everything is a conspiracy. Hundreds of thousands of Darfuris are dying. I’ve met some. I’m this fight for them, not to fuel some sort of evil Arab myth. In the same way that I stood up when Serbs were massacring Muslims and with the same fierceness that I oppose the Iraq war.

You never answered my question. Yes we agree, Europe, the US (and hey all those Russian arms dealers, and corrupt African leaders too) are to blame for the Congo conflict. In my line of work, I run into this all the time. We know who is to blame, at least partially ( like I said the conflict is way too complex) but WHAT THE F ARE YOU SUGGESTING WE DO? I am a pacifist BUT not passivist. Passively complaining about how the US oppresses everybody is fine for Frisbee throwing hippies or conspiracy theorists in their mother’s basement. I’m talking here about finding a democratic antidote to their disgusting version of globalization by passing from complaining to action, from the finding culprits to finding solutions. So I ask you what the world can do to save the people of the Congo region. And the US caused it all is not an answer. It’s a long and painful footnote.

And patb, I’m not even gonna argue with you…but can you please not call us gentlemen…seriously, there are ladies in the house.

I was a soldier for 33 years but my last two years in Afghanistan (05-07) were as a teacher for the Afghan Army teaching (I know you’ll cringe) ethics in government as a soldier, treatment of civilians, consideration of others (tribal issues), computer skills etc. I truley enjoyed it and think we made some headway especially as it came to tribal relations.

Hahahahahah.

Okay I’m done.

No wait, hahahahaha.

The number one reason that Darfur is getting all this attention is because certain organizations like to repeat over and over again that Arabs are killing black Africans. Not that they care about these black Africans, otherwise they would have given as much attention to the Congo were many more have been raped and/or killed.
Some taken up the cause of Darfur so they don’t have to think about the genocide in Iraq, others have taken up the cause so they can demonize Arabs who have nothing to do with the violence in Darfur.
An important step in solving the violence in the Congo, Darfur and any other region is to look at all factors that are contributing to the violence. The “Save Darfur” activists, politicians and much of the mainstream media are not doing this.
Are you aware of the role of the United States and other democracies in fueling the violence in the Congo and Darfur? Here are some links about this which I put under a different topic at http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/09/11/remembering-the-other-911s/#comment-68214