Hollywood star George Clooney implored the US government to work harder to end what he called "the first genocide of the 21st century" in Sudan's troubled Darfur region. "What we cannot do is turn our head and look away and hope that this will somehow disappear, because if we do, they will. They will disappear. And an entire generation of people will be gone," Clooney said at a press conference. "Then only history will be left to judge us," said the actor, who returned earlier this week from a tour of the Darfur region in southern Sudan and Chad.The George W. Bush administration has taken a tough line on the Darfur crisis, calling the violence there "genocide," while the US Senate and House have both passed legislation that would slap sanctions on Sudanese officials deemed responsible.
But Clooney said a louder public outcry would encourage governments around the world to do even more, and urged broad participation at rallies to be held Sunday in San Francisco and Washington. "The president wants to put a stop to it, the Congress want to put a stop it. What they need now is the American people and the world's populations to help them, to tell them that it matters that much to them. It is the first genocide of the 21st century," he said.
| I worry when a mental giant like George Clooney says things that I agree with. It makes me worry I'm turning into a dipshit. Pretty Boy's inclination is, of course, to get lots of Brainiacs like himself out in the streets with signs saying "Stop the Killing," and maybe some giant puppets. This does little but play to the participants' collective ego. If he wants to make a real difference, maybe he should think about raising money to buy the Darfur people groceries — and maybe even arms and ammunition to use against their oppressors. My own inclination is to let Rice, Bolton, and the rest handle it as best they can. I don't want to see American troops in Sudan, though I wouldn't mind seeing American aircraft, preferably B52s, in Sudan's skies. We've been watching the diplo moves unfold, and we know, even if Clooney doesn't, that it's been one of the administration's top priorities, even as Kofi and Company and the Arab League have been running interference against us. |