When I read this post the first thing I thought was, “Does Sudan even have any natural resources?” But I checked the Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Sudan), and it turns out Sudan has oil – not a lot, nothing like Iraq or Iran or SA, but it has been exporting “commercial quantities” since 2000. I wonder how that will affect any decisions made on this?
[QUOTEBrainGlutton=]
When I read this post the first thing I thought was, “Does Sudan even have any natural resources?” But I checked the Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Sudan), and it turns out Sudan has oil – not a lot, nothing like Iraq or Iran or SA, but it has been exporting “commercial quantities” since 2000. I wonder how that will affect any decisions made on this?
[/QUOTE]
Yes, thats actually one of the reasons I said the US shouldn’t be directly involved…that Europe is actually the best choice to go in there and impose the peace. Two reasons really. The first (not serious) reason is my nerves can’t take another series of ‘No blood for oil!’ howlings (nor anymore wierd conspiricy theories from rjung about how we are going into the Sudan to make Chaney et al more bucks :)), and the second (serious) that much of the Muslim world, already freaking about the US invasion of Iraq (to steal the oil) would seriously have a caniption if we invaded another oil producing Muslim nation.
Unfortunately for the civilian men, women and children in the Sudan I think that the UN, the EU and the US will just continue to dither while thousands die. 
-XT
Sadly, I agree this will happen. I would love to see a pan-Arabic or pan-African force to stop this though. I think the US should get behind someone to stop this. Hell, I’d take a bunch of peacenik Predators.
It’s taken quite a while, but I used to be a great supporter of US military intervention. I might not be alive today were it not for the allied rescue of the Netherlands people (my father fought in the underground).
But if I put myself (a Canadian now) in the shoes of the family of a young dead American soldier, I’d be asking what for.
So what if there is one Korea today. Would that have been worse than losing 36,000 American lives ?
So what if there is one Vietnam today? Oh wait, there is. Was it worth losing 58,000 American lives?
Is Panama better off today?
Is Haiti better off today?
Is Grenada better off today?
Do the muslims of the Balkans have any appreciation for American efforts in the 90s?
Did the Somalians appreciate American military efforts to get food to them?
How helpful are the wealthy Kuwaitis today in sharing the costs of the Iraqi reconstruction? Do you think there will be any future memorials for the 100 plus American lives sacrificed for their liberation?
DO THE IRAQIS APPRECIATE THE 1000+ AMERICAN LIVES SACRIFICED FOR THEIR LIBERATION ?
Darfur is an ethnic cleansing program sanctioned by a sovereign government. If the UN and the arab world are okay with not approving a military intervention (this does not require a superpower), then America should stay the hell out of it. No one will appreciate the loss of another American life.
It just occured to me in rounding off the American casualty figures that one American life just doesn’t seem worth much in the end. About as much as one starving black muslim child. In the end, neither is worth more than the other.