Pelosi to President: Now Is the Time to Act to Stop Genocide in Darfur

[Omaha Steve]

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=72563

Pelosi and Bipartisan Group to President: Now Is the Time to Act to Stop Genocide in Darfur

9/15/2006 5:37:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Brendan Daly or Jennifer Crider, 202-226-7616, both of the Office of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Members from both parties active on the crisis in Darfur sent the following letter to President Bush today urging him call special attention to Darfur when he addresses the United Nations on Tuesday and appoint a special envoy on Sudan.

Below is the text of the letter:

September 15, 2006

The President

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As we have done several times over the last few years, we write to you with profound concern over the increasingly dire humanitarian crisis and worsening genocide in Darfur. The United States simply cannot stand by while the government of Sudan continues its campaign of terror and atrocities against innocent civilians. We urge you to use your speech at the United Nations on Tuesday to call special attention to Darfur and the need for the international community to take immediate, decisive action to end the genocide.

The situation in Darfur has dramatically deteriorated over the last several weeks. In direct violation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) and numerous UN Security Council resolutions, Khartoum has begun to deploy some 26,000 troops to the Darfur region. This has coincided with a sharp increase in attacks on civilians and humanitarian aid workers, renewed aerial bombardment and the all but complete deterioration of the fragile DPA.

The member states of the United Nations have simply not done enough to stop the brutal violence that has occurred in Darfur in the past three years. We urge you to call publicly for full implementation of all UN resolutions on Darfur, and for all member states, particularly Russia and China with considerable influence in Khartoum, to do more.

As the international community debates whether or not an international force, in addition to that already deployed by the African Union in Darfur and by the UN in other parts of Sudan, can be deployed without the consent of the Sudanese government, we hope you will cite as examples the intervention of international forces in the 1990's in Africa and Europe. We do not believe the approval of those who have allowed genocide to occur in Darfur is necessary before other nations intercede to bring it to an end.

FULL letter and story at link above.

[ShortnFiery]

1. Dear Leader just blamed the UN ...

He can't do anything because he's too busy strong-arming The Senate to allow him and his henchmen to torture whomever they deem as *alleged terrorists.*

Dear Leader is far too busy skirting Article 3 of The Geneva Conventions to worry about The Genecide within the Darfur.

[whistle]

3. At least he has given Bill Clinton a rest, what a total prick dubya is

....surpassed only by his younger brother Jeb who a a really big prick!

[whistle]

2. President Bush can not stop his own ass from falling off....

....Pelosi and the Bipartisan Group to President are really heaping a load of shit on Dubya's shoulders. I think this pressure is going to make the president crack and fall apart like a pillar of salt

[Alacrat]

4. What would it take?

To bring peace, or stop the genocide in Darfur? Would we need to send troops? Would it be a fight, or simply a humanitarian mission, ie.. food and medicine? From what I've read the situation is terrible, and something needs to be done fast, but can we handle another front? I believe our military is over extended, but any fight on our part would result in a slaughter, done by us. Would we be seen again, as invading a sovereign nation, who is no threat to us? The world has a pretty low opinion of us, as it is, and if the U.N. can't or won't bring action on their own, do we need to be in this fight? I hope #@$@#% will call attention to this, and possibly get VERY broad support, or better yet, another nation who will take this on, if it involves the use of military force.

[AlienGirl]

5. The US needs to pressure the UN to act

I don't think any nation or coalition short of the UN can handle it effectively; but the UN has been under pressure by some members *not* to act. It's going to take food, medicine, and troops to police the area; but IMO this is one of the legit reasons to go to war, even for a country to act unilaterally--to stop a genocide.

http://www.savedarfur.org This Sunday will be a Day of Action for Darfur. Even if you can't attend one of the events, wear a blue hat, wherever you are.

Tucker

[Alacrat]

6. Will do

I hate the idea of more war. I don't mind seeing the people committing genocide getting their just due, but there will always be civilian casualties, and our own soldiers will get killed and injured. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. I just wish there was a way to get all the war mongers of the world rounded up, and done away with, so the rest of us could enjoy the one and only life we have been given, in peace. It's very sad to think about all the people in the world who have lived everyday, with war, hunger, disease,etc. never having a chance to enjoy one day of their lives.

[AlienGirl]

7. I think ending genocide is one of the few wars worth the cost

Rounding up and doing away with the war-mongers would turn us into war-mongers ourselves though. The real enemies are not the human beings who wage the wars, but the ideas and ideologies that drive them to war, and the economic injustices that fuel the wars.

Tucker

P.S. On a personal level--I also don't think it's the only life we get...