Sunday, May 28, 2006

Why the UN Can't Save Darfur

It has been a good few weeks for those who believe that the United Nations can save Darfur--or so it may appear. Eleven days ago, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution demanding that the Sudanese government allow a mission to enter Darfur and assess the needs of an eventual deployment of U.N. troops.
That vote came in response to repeated obstruction by Khartoum, which has long balked at allowing a U.N. assessment team to enter Darfur--even after reaching a peace agreement with one faction of the largest Darfuri rebel group earlier this month.
But yesterday, three days past the deadline established by the Security Council, Khartoum finally agreed to allow the U.N. team to enter the country. The State Department trumpeted the development as "a positive step," and a headline in yesterday's Washington Post conveyed optimism that a deployment of U.N. troops to Darfur is on the way: "DEAL ON MISSION IN DARFUR MAY PRESAGE U.N. PRESENCE: MOVE CALLED PRECONDITION TO PEACEKEEPING." Good developments all. Right? Read more >>>

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