by Robin Finesmith

Created on: April 23, 2008   Last Updated: April 30, 2008

The question itself, sadly, is part of the problem. "The fighting" in Darfur amounts to genocide. We have to get the words right. Else, we hamstring our conscience, and bind our own hands.

There are three well-documented issues that have crippled international intervention. and deeper, uglier reasons, too. A chief unspoken truth is this: world leaders fear that any meaningful involvement in Darfur *could become* policy.

And so these obstacles, though admittedly complex, remain not only reasons for failure, but excuses for inaction.

#1: SUDANESE GOVERNMENT OBSTRUCTION:
*Initial refusal to allow UN peacekeepers into Darfur; (2*)
*Rejecting troops from certain countries; (3)
*Delaying allocation of land bases for headquarters and operational peacekeeping;
*Imposing curfews on the United Nations-African Union hybrid forces (UNAMID);
*Requiring advance notice of all movements of troops and equipment.
(*Interesting to note here: did we seek Hitler's permission for the Allied invasion?
Did we negotiate with the Nazis about where and when D-Day would begin? )

* POLICY OPTIONS:
*Military: U.S.-imposed no-fly zone over Darfur.(4) Arms embargoes on weapons, ammunition, or spare parts. Naval blockade
of Port Sudan.
*Travel restrictions and visa bans against targeted Sudanese government officials; freezing of personal and family assets;
blocking access to banking systems. (5) Restrictions on income activities such as oil, diamonds, logging, and drugs. (6)
*Incentives: U.S. support for Sudan membership in the World Trade Organization; partial cancellation of Sudan's foreign debts.

#2: CHINESE ARMS SUPPLY TO SUDAN IN EXCHANGE FOR OIL (7):
*Providing Chinese-made AK-47's, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and helicopters.
*Assisting in construction of arms factories; supervision of weapons assembly by Chinese engineers. (8)
*U.N. Security Council veto of sanctions against Sudan; protection of Al-Bashir regime at UN.

* POLICY OPTIONS:
*Divest from financial institutions with holdings in oil companies such as PetroChina. (9) Lobby U.S. leaders to
effectively implement The Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act. (10)
*Use the spotlight of the Beijing Olympics to work with corporate American sponsors, influencing China to suspend arms
transfers until Khartoum seeks peace in Darfur. (11)
*Call for permanent Security Council members to withhold use of their veto in the case of dire humanitarian need. (12)

#3 AN AMBIVALENT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
*Absence of active and

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