Monday, February 13, 2006
Kofi asks for help
Note: It's not every day that I have a diary entry at RedState promoted to the front page, so while this particular entry doesn't have much at all to do with the Commonwealth, I figured I'd post it here also. Enjoy!
Kofi Annan - who in case you forgot is the accidentally hilarious man who is the Secretary-General of the (Dis)United Nations - is asking George Bush - a man to whom during the run-up to the Iraq War Mr. Annan was, at best, counterproductive - to contribute to a UN force to be deployed into Sudan's vastly troubled Dafur region.
Well, I suppose now that the UN has the whole Iranian-Mullahs-Getting-Nukes situation under control, why not branch-out and spread that sort of success throughout Africa as well?
John Bolton - now that name sounds familiar. Oh yes, wasn't he the guy who was sent by Bush to (as was claimed by the Loyal Opposition) destroy the UN or something like that? And gee, any guesses as to why the "African Union force of 7,000 monitors and troops" is "underfunded"? Hmmmmmmmmm...
I can only hope the official White House response will be something like this:
Dear Kofi: Kiss it. Love, George.
Well Kofi, in the event you had not noticed, most ot the "big and powerful countries" of the world kinda-sorta have their hands full already trying to stop the spread of militant Islamofascism, while some of the rest are getting ready to surrender to it. As such, their plates are already rather full, no thanks to you. So they're looking to you to get this one solved on your own - assuming you can handle it. More on that score in a little bit.
Perhaps it's not a surprise that the only US official to be quoted in this Reuters piece is none-other than the orange-haired Senior Blowhard from Delaware - so let's hear what Joey has to say...
Memo to Joe - NATO == US. Besides...
Fine by me. Let. Them. Rot.
No one doubts the quantity and quality of the human tragedy that has been the Sudan (in general) and Dafur (in particular) - in fact if memory serves, that dread neo-con George Bush has himself been saying for years that someone needs to do something about it. The Sudan presents Mr. Annan with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that he can do something other than stand in the way of the national interests of the United States. He could build his very-own "Coalition of the Willing" and solve a problem festering in his own backyard.
He could, that is, were he capable in any sense of the word.
The problem is, when it comes to getting something done it's either done by us or not done at all.
Pity - for the people of Dafur, that is.
Kofi Annan - who in case you forgot is the accidentally hilarious man who is the Secretary-General of the (Dis)United Nations - is asking George Bush - a man to whom during the run-up to the Iraq War Mr. Annan was, at best, counterproductive - to contribute to a UN force to be deployed into Sudan's vastly troubled Dafur region.
The United States has offered military planners for the Darfur operation, which will arrive on Monday. But it has made no offer of air coverage or other assistance for the venture, expected to be comprised mainly of African and Asian troops, who form the bulk of all UN forces.
Well, I suppose now that the UN has the whole Iranian-Mullahs-Getting-Nukes situation under control, why not branch-out and spread that sort of success throughout Africa as well?
At issue is a transfer of command from an underfunded African Union force of 7,000 monitors and troops in Darfur to UN peacekeepers, a move U.S. Ambassador John Bolton promoted in the Security Council last week by drafting a statement asking the world body to begin contingency planning.
John Bolton - now that name sounds familiar. Oh yes, wasn't he the guy who was sent by Bush to (as was claimed by the Loyal Opposition) destroy the UN or something like that? And gee, any guesses as to why the "African Union force of 7,000 monitors and troops" is "underfunded"? Hmmmmmmmmm...
Annan said Darfur's plight, which the United States has characterized as genocide, was too dire for rich nations to pay but not participate in the mission, which will increase the $5 billion spent on peacekeeping last year.
I can only hope the official White House response will be something like this:
Dear Kofi: Kiss it. Love, George.
"It is not going to be easy for the big and powerful countries with armies to delegate to third world countries. They will have to play a part if we are going to stop the carnage that we see in Darfur," Annan told reporters on Thursday.
Well Kofi, in the event you had not noticed, most ot the "big and powerful countries" of the world kinda-sorta have their hands full already trying to stop the spread of militant Islamofascism, while some of the rest are getting ready to surrender to it. As such, their plates are already rather full, no thanks to you. So they're looking to you to get this one solved on your own - assuming you can handle it. More on that score in a little bit.
Perhaps it's not a surprise that the only US official to be quoted in this Reuters piece is none-other than the orange-haired Senior Blowhard from Delaware - so let's hear what Joey has to say...
"NATO is already helping the AU with airlift support and training," Biden wrote in the Baltimore Sun. "We should increase NATO's presence by deploying a few thousand NATO troops to work side by side with AU forces."
Memo to Joe - NATO == US. Besides...
But the Sudan government would probably turn down any force under a NATO flag.
Fine by me. Let. Them. Rot.
No one doubts the quantity and quality of the human tragedy that has been the Sudan (in general) and Dafur (in particular) - in fact if memory serves, that dread neo-con George Bush has himself been saying for years that someone needs to do something about it. The Sudan presents Mr. Annan with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that he can do something other than stand in the way of the national interests of the United States. He could build his very-own "Coalition of the Willing" and solve a problem festering in his own backyard.
He could, that is, were he capable in any sense of the word.
The problem is, when it comes to getting something done it's either done by us or not done at all.
Pity - for the people of Dafur, that is.
# posted by Doc J @ 2:04 PM 
