Politics: Darfur: USA Prez Bush declares further sanctions against Sudan's alleged genocide to exterminate the Darfurians

Marketplace a radio newscast carries the audio link to hear US Prez George W. Bush declaration of further sanctions on Sudan, and personal sanctions on 2 govt officials and 1 "rebel leader," whether Janjaweed or Darfurian, I have no idea yet. In the background, there will be lurking the charges related to genocide, which easily could bring the International Criminal Court into action. Bush's Sudan statement on American Public Media [APM] radio.

The Save Darfur Coalition is urgently asking people to campaign for the President to take up the issue in the UN Security Council on an emergency basis.

North Africa > Darfur, Sudan

But just today I see a news report where the umbrella group is saying it may be too late. Despite the headline, the article makes clear SDC is by no means playing a blame-game, because the Save Darfur Coalition are diplomatic realists.

President Bush today directed the Treasury Department to tighten existing economic sanctions against Sudan. It's already a crime for American companies to do business with the country. [The] new US economic sanctions against Sudan intend ... to pressure the Sudanese government to stop the bloodshed in the Darfur region.

In the strange world of international diplomacy, the President had to dot all his "i"s and cross all his "t"s to avoid China's reaction (Sudan is one of China's oil sources). A negative reaction on a time-consuming diplomatic technicality would have had a bad outcome for the effort to save Darfur, as a negative Chinese response would (and still may) effect the UN SC's discussion of worlwide enforcement of the additional sanctions. China is a permanent member of the Security Council, and thus has veto power over any decision of the Council.