All Three U.S. Presidential Candidates Step Up for Darfur

But what the candidates don't say is this; It is past time that President Bush, who has called the atrocities in Darfur 'genocide' assumes desperately needed moral leadership. He should lead the UN Security Council in standing up to the Sudanese regime, which continues to place every possible obstacle in the path of an full and effective deployment of UNAMID, the peacekeeping operation agreed to last July. (UN Resolution 1769). He should urge other militarily capable nations to join the US in providing the essential infrastructure, training and logistical support for those African battalions who are in need of assistance.

In 2005 the Bush administration played an essential role in securing the now imperiled CPA and a fragile peace between the North and the embattle Southern Sudan. As the agreement crumbles and Sudan's north and south slide toward war, the US must re-engage and stand by that commitment as well as our responsibility to protect innocent civilians in the anguished Darfur region.

As the candidates point out, more than five years have passed since the Government of Sudan launched its campaign of destruction upon the defenseless people of the Darfur region. The world has watched hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians die.

I didn't know Sudan was the most powerful nation on earth. The international community needs to go 'spine shopping'.

CLINTON, McCAIN, OBAMA JOINT STATEMENT: 'WE STAND UNITED ON SUDAN'
Candidates pledge 'unstinting resolve' in ending Darfur genocide, Save Darfur Coalition hails historic joint statement on ending Sudan crisis
WE STAND UNITED ON SUDAN

As we campaign for President of the United States over the next several months, we expect there to be significant focus on the many differences between us. After all, elections are about choices in a free society. We have had a spirited contest so far and fully expect a robust debate about issues foreign and domestic right up to Election Day.

As we engage in this process, we are fully aware that friend and foe around the globe are watching and sometimes reacting based on their own analysis of the latest developments in the campaign.

It is with this awareness that we are taking the uncommon step of issuing a joint statement about an issue.

After more than five years of genocide, the Sudanese government and its proxies continue to commit atrocities against civilians in Darfur. This is unacceptable to the American people and to the world community.

We deplore all violence against the people of Darfur. There can be no doubt that the Sudanese government is chiefly responsible for the violence and is able to end it. We condemn the Sudanese government's consistent efforts to undermine peace and security, including its repeated attacks against its own people and the multiple barriers it has put up to the swift and effective deployment of the United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force. We further condemn the Sudanese government's refusal to adhere to the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the conflict in southern Sudan.

Today, we wish to make clear to the Sudanese government that on this moral issue of tremendous importance, there is no divide between us. We stand united and demand that the genocide and violence in Darfur be brought to an end and that the CPA be fully implemented. Even as we campaign for the presidency, we will use our standing as Senators to press for the steps needed to ensure that the United States honors, in practice and in deed, its commitment to the cause of peace and protection of Darfur's innocent citizenry. We will continue to keep a close watch on events in Sudan and speak out for its marginalized peoples. It would be a huge mistake for the Khartoum regime to think that it will benefit by running out the clock on the Bush Administration. If peace and security for the people of Sudan are not in place when one of us is inaugurated as President on January 20, 2009, we pledge that the next Administration will pursue these goals with unstinting resolve.

Comments

[McPander]

Lets get our Rights back and then we can worry about everybody elses

[prcleburne]

If we are going to continue to intervene militarily in other countries, why not to prevent the murder of innocents? I am still ashamed that we did nothing to help stop the genocide in Rawanda and Burundi.

[McPander]

Thank you Bill Clinton

[McPander]

I find it funny how Darfur rises to the top of the heap where it concerns Africa...

I guess it works the best to sell the theme that Arab are killers, It also doesn't cause any trouble for the Corporatist who are ravaging Africa and stealing the mineral wealth.

Any Democrat that supports an interventionist policy at this point should really think about it long and hard.

I would recommend that anybody who wants to support Darfur....­send them money for arms to defend themselves or go over and fight with them.

[Southrnbelle]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MitchW]

So where is France, Britain, Spain others on this issue?
Why does every friggin issue in the world seem to fall in our lap to solve, only to be resented for it in the end. Let the UN handle it ...thats what they are paid to do AND hold the UN accountable for the failure when they screw it up (as we know they will).
For once, how about all three candidates commit themselves to the American people and thier interest? Thats right...in writing (in blood if necessary so they cant deny signing it later!!)
How about controlling the borders and give the construction workers a break?
How about sunsetting all these damn trade agreements - and actually manufacture products here?
How about a new rule that says every dollar a US employer pays his sweatshop employee in India is taxed at a 50% rate, thus no advantage to paying overseas salary.

[egal]

Since the candidates disagree on what's best for us domesitcally, your request is impossible to fulfill. Not to mention the political naivety it shows, since there is far more necessary to increase Americanization of our production market than your simple solutions.

As for the UN, nobody respects or trusts them enough to permit them to be competent in achieving anything even if they were possessed of such ability (they're not, sadly). We're the only ones able to act unilaterally and in large enough manners to be helpful in serious crises, but we've already seen that this has its downsides, such as permitting a few leaders to abuse this nation for the sake of thie rown interests. For this reason, the UN is intentionally unwieldy, diminishing the possibility of such treachery even as it diminishes its usefulness.

[edtastic]

To be honest I am skeptical of Mia Farrow. I know she has been to Dafur but her response to the protest in Tibet was equally scathing, and on that issue I think she was wrong. I am suspicious of peace protestors and peace advocates that refuse to acknowledge the atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank. How can you call yourself a peace activist and refuse to ignore such a major issue that has global implications? I suppose Mia Farrow plays politics, she moves with public opinion and will only challenge the goverments of third world countries. Perhaps I am being unfair, maybe she did stand up for the people of Gaza, West Bank, or the Lebonese while Israel was "Defending Itself". I am sure the Sudanese Goverment thinks it is "Defending Itself" . I dont trust any peace activist that ignores the elephant in the room, such hypocrisy makes it look like an cause of polticial convience.

[jollyelle]

Exactly, well said, edtastic
Human oppression is human oppression, no distinctions, progress won't be made until
we address this issue globally.

[GwenElle]

Last I checked Mia is just one person. There are millions of others of us available to step into the role that she is being criticized for not filling here.

Mia I honor your commitment and your conviction. I only wish that I had half the energy and the will to stand up, speak out and act. Thanks for doing what I am not and probably should be.

[Knowbetter]

I'm glad BushCo opted out of this one. They would surely have found a way to f*ck things up there even more, to the further detriment of our country. President Obama will take care of it.

[ramblingjohnny]

Moral leadership imply that you can take a stand on a moral high ground!

[Mort]

While it's important to worry about and help others worldwide, we have some serious needs at home that are being ignored by our leaders. A doctor can't heal others if he's terminally ill. We've got our work cut out for us.

[kellygrrrl]

Thank You, Ms. Farrow, for all you do to keep the horrific genocide IN THE NEWS!!!!!

[VictorLudorum]

Mia Jan Sahiba ..........­..........­.......... who are we threatening ? We must tackle the affairs through the bureacracies because we ourselves are acting protective about bureacracies which are actual enablers and literate .. it is regime corruption when the laws bend and these days offshore companies become active .. the bureacrats however are non believers that 'NATIONS CAN FALL, IN THAT MUCH CRUELTY ..........­..........­..........­..........­..........­....THAT THE POPULATION IS MAINTAINED UNDER PRESSURE AND THERE IS NO SOLUTION BEING DISCUSSED AT HIGHER LEVEL AND OPENLY LIKE REAL TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING "

[Clairvaux]

You are doing a great job with your advocacy, Ms. Farrow. Keep up the good work!