President’s Corner: The U.S. Needs To Do More in Darfur
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Two news articles last week made me question whether the U.S. and its allies are really serious about ending the killing and displacement in the Darfur region of Sudan. On Nov. 14, the Associated Press reported a warning by the UN peacekeeping chief, Jean-Marie Guehenno, that an expanded peacekeeping force currently deploying to Darfur could be a “failure” unless it gets more sophisticated equipment from donor countries to support the mission. In particular, he said that the 26,000 member UN-African Union force that is to police an area as big as Texas needs 18 transport helicopters and six light support helicopters for a rapid reaction force. “I think it tells a sad story on the commitment for Darfur, frankly,” Guehenno said of the lack of helicopters.
On Nov. 15, the BBC reported that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband excoriated European Union countries for not committing badly needed helicopters to the large, new Darfur force. “EU countries have around 1,200 transport helicopters, yet only about 35 are deployed to Afghanistan. And EU member states haven’t provided any helicopters in Darfur despite a desperate need there,” he said in a speech.
President Bush has accused the government of Sudan of committing genocide in Darfur. The Genocide Convention makes it clear that signatories, such as the U.S. and all major European powers, must act “to prevent and punish the crime of genocide”, yet the U.S. and Europe can’t find 24 helicopters between them to help the new force.
So it seems reasonable to ask: how deep is our commitment to deploying a larger, more capable peacekeeping force in Darfur with the hope of stopping genocide there? After news of the helicopter shortage, a reporter at a Pentagon news conference asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates if the U.S. could provide the helicopters. Gates said he was not aware of any request for helicopters from the UN-AU force. But even if the U.S. got a request, “I would say just as a matter of general principle, our helicopter resources are pretty…pushed between Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Don’t get me wrong. The U.S. is doing a lot to support the so-called hybrid UN-AU force. The new 26,000 member force of troops and police will replace a 7,000 member AU force that is currently deployed.
First, the U.S. pays at least 25% of the cost of all UN peacekeeping operations. According to a State Department official, this means that the U.S. will pay the UN $884 million to help support the force through June 30, 2009, if Congress appropriates the money. Second, we are in the process of turning over to the new force 34 bases that we built for the AU in Darfur and about $40 million of equipment, including vehicles and satellite communications gear. Third, we recently transported about 800 Rwandan troops into North Darfur. Finally, we have been a major promoter of peace talks to end the war. So far, however, the peace talks have gotten nowhere.
Still, the question remains: Is President Bush doing enough to stop genocide in Darfur. The answer is no.
--Ken Bacon
On Nov. 15, the BBC reported that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband excoriated European Union countries for not committing badly needed helicopters to the large, new Darfur force. “EU countries have around 1,200 transport helicopters, yet only about 35 are deployed to Afghanistan. And EU member states haven’t provided any helicopters in Darfur despite a desperate need there,” he said in a speech.
President Bush has accused the government of Sudan of committing genocide in Darfur. The Genocide Convention makes it clear that signatories, such as the U.S. and all major European powers, must act “to prevent and punish the crime of genocide”, yet the U.S. and Europe can’t find 24 helicopters between them to help the new force.
So it seems reasonable to ask: how deep is our commitment to deploying a larger, more capable peacekeeping force in Darfur with the hope of stopping genocide there? After news of the helicopter shortage, a reporter at a Pentagon news conference asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates if the U.S. could provide the helicopters. Gates said he was not aware of any request for helicopters from the UN-AU force. But even if the U.S. got a request, “I would say just as a matter of general principle, our helicopter resources are pretty…pushed between Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Don’t get me wrong. The U.S. is doing a lot to support the so-called hybrid UN-AU force. The new 26,000 member force of troops and police will replace a 7,000 member AU force that is currently deployed.
First, the U.S. pays at least 25% of the cost of all UN peacekeeping operations. According to a State Department official, this means that the U.S. will pay the UN $884 million to help support the force through June 30, 2009, if Congress appropriates the money. Second, we are in the process of turning over to the new force 34 bases that we built for the AU in Darfur and about $40 million of equipment, including vehicles and satellite communications gear. Third, we recently transported about 800 Rwandan troops into North Darfur. Finally, we have been a major promoter of peace talks to end the war. So far, however, the peace talks have gotten nowhere.
Still, the question remains: Is President Bush doing enough to stop genocide in Darfur. The answer is no.
--Ken Bacon
Labels: Darfur, President's Corner
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