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March 13, 2007

Save the Darfurians? (updated)

letter to the editor
Professor Glick:

This is currently on the SaveDarfur.org web site:
The German Green Party in the Bundestag has launched an online petition calling on Chancellor Merkel to use Germany´s EU presidency to take strong political action to help end the violence in Darfur.

The Green Party is encouraging individuals and groups around the world to contact Chancellor Merkel and urge her to use all available means to bring an end to the genocide.
I wish they were a tad bit clearer about what they really want.

For months on end, SaveDarfur.org has been running a television commercial about the genocide in Darfur. The tag line was always: "President Bush. Stop the genocide in Darfur!"

Cleverly worded. It could be interpreted to mean that President Bush has the power to stop the genocide, or it could be interpreted to mean that President Bush was perpetuating the genocide. It always struck me as less a Darfur-saving message, but rather a message with the primary purpose of criticizing President Bush.

It has now been replaced by another SaveDarfur.org commercial. This one includes a picture of Secretary of State Rice next to her words exhorting the world to take action to stop the genocide in Darfur.

The tag line for this commercial is quite stunning. "Diplomacy is not enough!"

The only meaning that can be taken from that is the the Darfurians wish the United States to take unilateral military action-without UN approval (since the Chinese will veto any military action as they have vetoed any nonmilitary action).

Perhaps I'm unfair in thinking that these same people calling for unilateral military action in Darfur are the same people who are demanding immediate withdrawal from Iraq-which will result in an even larger genocide.

But, I don't think so.

Cliff Thier

Update: Joseph Crowley writes:

I just saw the commercial and either Cliff Thier got it wrong or they've changed the commercial to include President Bush along with Secretary of State Rice at the end. It now says "President Bush, Secretary Rice diplomacy is not enough!" (I'm unable to send you a link to the ad because when I tried to log onto the SaveDarfur.org site I was automatically redirected to this page; http://www.savedarfur.org/content?splash=yes , where you have to register your personal info which will be forwarded along with this:

President George Bush:

Every day, the 2.5 million people chased from their homes in Darfur face the threat of starvation, disease, and rape, while the few lucky enough to remain in their homes risk displacement, torture and murder. Therefore, we call on you to do the following:

Strengthen the understaffed and overwhelmed African Union peackeeping force already in Darfur.

Push for the deployment of a strong UN peacekeeping force.

Increase humanitarian aid and ensure access for aid delivery.

Establish a no-fly zone.

Update: A reader writes:

There are no "Darfurians".

"Dar al Fur" is the "Land of the Fur" in Arabic, just like "Dar al Harb", "Dar al Islam", etc.

The people there are called the Fur (pronounced "foor", like "food").

Editor: "Save the Fur!" is a slogan that PETA might have trouble with.

Update: Joe Crowley writes:

It was only a matter of time...
If the US had never gone into Iraq the genocide in Darfur would have never gone this far because US military intervention would've been an acceptable solution - so says The Guardian's Jonathan Freedland.
P.S. I won the office pool on how long it would take the Left to blame the genocide in Darfur on the US's intervention of the genocide in Iraq. I'll give you one guess as to whether I'm gonna donate my winnings to SaveDarfur.org...

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