...Speaking of No Clout

Paul Martin is visiting civil war-torn Sudan today, expressing words that will no doubt convince the international community that the trampling of individual rights and the slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent persons in Sudan's Darfur region must end:

Martin noted that "war is not the norm and that some day peace will come to their country."

How profound.

To be fair, Martin was speaking to a group of schoolchildren, but this empty rhetoric quite possibly is the best description of our country's say-nothing-offend-no-one foreign policy over recent years. In Sudan's instance, the Martin government has contributed NOTHING of substance (beyond the typical "humanitarian assistance" and promises to "support" African Union troops) towards achieving the peace he purports to desire.

Given that sending African Union troops into Darfur was a token gesture (so far failing to end the conflict), the democratic community of the world must do more to force the hand of Khartoum. Leaving the job of halting genocide to the United Nations will only perpetuate the suffering with its dithering and inaction.