COMMENTARY: Darfur and Bush: Rhetoric Without Action?

The Politico

Nearly two-and-a-half years ago, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell said that the Government of Sudan was responsible for committing genocide in Darfur.

Powell's statement represented the first time in our nation's history that a senior government official had labeled the systematic killing of innocent people genocide. In 1994, the Clinton administration did a dance around the "g-word" when Secretary of State Warren Christopher claimed that only "acts of genocide" had taken place in Rwanda.

Powell's views on Darfur, followed by similar ones from President Bush and other officials, were clear and unambiguous. However, nearly 30 months later the statements appear to have lacked any real meaning. In fact, the Bush administration has failed to back this rhetoric with any substantial action. The genocide continues unabated, as a campaign of ethnic cleansing has killed more than 400,000 people in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Recently, the International Criminal Court (ICC) named two main perpetrators who have been accused of working together, and on behalf of the government of Sudan, in committing 51 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Darfur people. In his announcement, the ICC prosecutor did not rule out future charges of genocide. In fact, additional charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, requests for summons and/or arrest warrants for additional senior Sudanese officials and Janjaweed rebels are likely to follow.

Ever since The Holocaust, America and the international community have vowed "never again." As the ICC prosecutor said recently, additional charges may be brought against others in Sudan for this on-going tragedy. Among the highest-ranking suspects is the director of security and intelligence within the Sudanese regime, Maj. Gen. Salih Gosh. In April of 2005, seven months after the Bush administration used the "g-word", the CIA had Gosh flown in to the U.S. in order to assist our nation in the "war on terror." Is this an example of the administration trying to have it both ways as it coddles Sudanese officials complicit in war crimes and crimes against humanity even as it calls for bringing an end to the conflict in Darfur?

The actions of the ICC prosecutor are a concrete opportunity for the Bush administration to demonstrate its commitment to Darfur. Setting aside its illogical and ideological differences with the ICC, the administration must assist the investigation, help the prosecution and do its part to bring justice for the victims in Darfur. The door is open. Will the administration walk through it or will it turn its back on the people of Darfur and continue to only offer up rhetoric without action?

Howard Salter is director of communications at Citizens for Global Solutions, a Washington, D.C. based foreign policy advocacy organization.