Quote:
Originally Posted by x-factor
The problem with Darfur is the government is sponsoring (or at least allowing) the genocide. The issue with Darfur has always been with protecting helpless people from their own government.
This is compounded by the fact that the southern Sudanese who are dying are black Christians while the northern Sudanese who run the government and do the killing are Arab Muslims.
Thats a bit of a simplistic take on the situation, but the point is that the issue of Darfur has never been about helping the Sudanese government, so its not at all just to say "well forget Darfur then!" over this.
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I hear you, but $2.6 billion of aid? Also, remember I said we should curtail the reconstruction part of it, not necessarily the humanitarian aid part of it.
Here is where my simplistic "forget Darfur" stance came from. My frustration over the Darfur issue is that, earlier this year, we had people in this country wondering why we weren't doing anything and demanding that our government do something to help the situation in Darfur. Earlier this year, I had people asking me why we weren't doing something in Darfur instead of being the "world police" in Iraq. Today, I realized that "not doing anything" in Darfur equals $2.6 billion. What more do you want?
I thought about it some more this evening, and thought about this scenario. Suppose an abusive husband/father has a wife and two children that he abuses regularly. Say that this person is also a sorry excuse of a worker as well, and won't hold down a job. So, because of his lack of character, his family suffers not only at his hand, but at his lack of work as well. They live in a hovel, little food, probably without adequate heat or plumbing. Further, the wife wants to get away, to have a better life, but just can't find the courage to do so just yet. She stays in the relationship, hoping for someone to help her and the kids somehow. So, do you sneak money to the wife & kids? Do you take them food? Or do you give the sorry excuse of a husband money to rebuild his house, educate him, and keep him healthy (analogous to the reconstruction aid we're talking about); and hope that this makes him a better person so that the effects of his change in character will filter down and help the wife & kids. I should reemphasize my stance that we should curtail the reconstruction aid, while continuing the humanitarian efforts that are going on.
Also, and I mean this from a discussion standpoint and not in a sarcastic way (I'm hear to learn, too), what would you suggest? If we stick with what we're doing now, will the situation at some point turn the corner because of the effort we're giving now? Is there another way (other than withholding or revising our aid to Sudan) that we could effectively show our position against the atrocities purported by the Sudanese government (and have it actually show some teeth as well)?
Bandy