Darfur is a Far Better Mission Than Iraq

As you read this, countless innocent civilians in the province of Darfur (in the African nation of Sudan) will be added to the already half-million who have been murdered, tortured or died of starvation. These are victims of attacks by Sudanese government-supported Janjaweed on homes and villages in retaliation against rebel groups such as the Justice and Equality and Sudanese Liberation Movements. Though the fighting has been intense, and the casualty figures include thousands of little children, it seems as if there's no "truce" in sight.

Now - as if the fighting wasn't enough to burden the weary innocents -- there's a famine looming, according to the European Parliament (whose members have returned from fact-finding tour of the area). The Parliament is recommending "diplomatic and economic sanctions" against all Sudanese figures implicated in the violence. The Parliament has found that "security issues" were hindering the distribution of needed food and supplies; even relief workers are afraid to enter the area and help.

Frithjof Schmidt, a German Green member of the EP, said, "If the security situation cannot be quickly stabilized, then the aid organizations will no longer be able to provide even basic food supplies. A famine of dramatic extent is looming."

Meanwhile, in America - the richest, most abundant land in the world - almost a half-trillion dollars have been spent on the war in Iraq. Though combat troops have been supplied with costly armament, and millions more have gone to Iraqi aid and reconstruction, we've yet to make a serious dent in the insurgency. As even many Republican Congressmen now agree, there's no substantive progress in the Administration's plan for "establishing a free Iraq." Plainly put, we're no closer to victory than we were a few years ago.

These two scenarios bring a serious question to the table: If our firepower (on the one hand) isn't stopping the Iraqi insurgency and our aid (on the other) isn't bringing the peace that the Administration hoped, why not change our course and use our resources to stop the fighting between the Janjaweed and rebel groups in Darfur? As was said, the relief workers are afraid to come into the province due to the violence. If we can bring a measure of peace, at least the people can get the food supplies they need to survive. If we can work with these people as we've attempted to do in Iraq, who knows how many children could be saved from the specter of starvation?

Let me give you a quick parallel to which many of us can relate:

Have you ever worn shoes that were too tight on your feet? You walk a few blocks and then your toes begin to protest in pain, followed by the rest of each foot. If you continue wearing them, the pain only becomes more intense. Eventually, you have to pry them off and get a pair that fits.

You might give the smaller pair to Goodwill (or other charity store) to be used by someone whose feet will fit them! When you've finally found a pair that will fit yours, then your feet begin to breathe, stretch and heal. You can walk proudly again!

By the same token, we've taken on a job that is awkward at the least. These are the uncomfortable shoes in the parallel. The protesting "feet" in this example are the people of this nation. They're sore from the wear-and-tear of this uncomfortable and awkward situation called Iraq. Soon, they begin to swell (in numbers) and the protest becomes more intense.

In actual footwear, we have an option: take the shoes off and donate them to a person who needs them - someone whose feet fit the shoes - or continue wearing them, in which case the sore feet will eventually swell and break through weakest part of the shoe and destroy it. By the same token, we can take our troops, much of our aid, and the billions of dollars we're appropriating for this senseless war we're in, and direct them to those who really need them - a people whose situation warrants them even more than Iraq. Otherwise, the protesters (from Congressman to John Q. Public) will eventually swell to the point that they will break through the very machine that continues the war. They'll do it through its weakest point.

We've already seen music, TV and movie stars putting forth an effort to ease the burden of the people of Darfur. A wonderful CD, Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, is on the market with sales proceeds going toward needed supplies and food for the victims. Actor George Clooney and a number of television stars are trying to get Congress to understand the severity of the issue and pass legislation that will help the people of this Sudanese province.

Now, it's our turn. We have to make enough noise ... flood our Senators and Representatives with emails, letters and/or phone calls ... to force a showdown on this issue. If the current Administration backs away from it (as it's been known to do with other lines drawn in the sand), the next can pick it up and, with our continued pressure, take some serious action!

Meanwhile-while reading this -- another hundred are so have just been tormented, murdered, raped or starved to death in the province of Darfur.

Now is the time for the Administration to change its direction and help save the ones who need it most and would appreciate it more than we can imagine ..