Peacekeeping in Darfur NOW!

There was a stunning and impassioned plea tonight for an immediate infusion of peacekeeping troops into Darfur from a very unusual quarter: the FOX NEWS "All Stars" on the Brit Hume Show. Tonight's panel was journalist (and strong Bush supporter) Bill Sammon, nominal Democrat Mort Kondracke and ultra conservative Bill Kristol. Tonight's show was hosted by substitute host Jim Angle.

While previous pleas for unilateral United States intervention have come from former Clinton advisors, this was the strongest, most articulate and aggressive demand for action from any well known group of conservatives.

It certainly should be noted that President Bush has been the strongest supporter for African issues from Darfur to HIV/AIDS of any president in modern U.S. history. And it should be noted that George Bush, Condoleeza Rice and John Bolton have led the fight for U.N. action.

But, sadly, it must also be noted that China and Russia have effectively blocked U.N. action so far by insisting the U.N. act only with the permission of Sudan. Following this link will take you to a series of posts that will provide the complete background about the tragedy in Darfur and the U.N. and U.S. actions.

Below are some key points made during tonight's discussion. The transcription is mine.

BILL KRISTOL: "You can't depend on the U.N. to do it and I'm sympathetic with some of the Clinton aides who say.... not just Clinton aides.... who say 'no second Rwanda.' It's time for military intervention."

MORT KONDRACKE: "I don't know why it's not possible, if the U.N. is going to fail in this endeavor, and it seems to me that their delaying action while the janjaweed and the Sudanese go around raping and killing people by the hundreds of thousands and it could be another one hundred thousand people get killed, there ought to be a way for the United States if necessary to organize a posse, the calvary, a force, it doesn't have to be that many people, to go do it."

JIM ANGLE: "To go in, invade... to take preemptive action against the government of Sudan?"

MORT KONDRACKE: "To do whatever it takes. And then organize the holding force later."

These guys were tough. All of them were united in their demand for unilateral action. All of them were right.

Later in the conversation:

BILL SAMMON: "In other words preemptively invade a sovereign nation that hadn't done anything to us or its neighbors lately......"

MORT KNODRACKE: (interrupts) "yes... Yes... YES!"

BILL KRISTON: "That's no reason not to do it."

JIM ANGLE: "Do really think the U.S. could do this without a huge outcry in the U.S.?"

BILL KRISTOL: "If the President went on T.V. next week and said this has got to stop. We cannot have another genocide to start the 21st century like the genocide that ended the 20th century, he would get huge support. He would have bipartisan support. I actually believe that Harry Reid would support him, that Nancy Pelosi, Bill and Hilary Clinton would support him."

MORT KONDRACKE: "I completely agree with that."

Words from three paid FOX NEWS consultants don't actually make a bit of difference in the overall debate. They don't make policy.

But perhaps this finally represents a seed change in the American discussion. Let's hope so. And let's hope a Nancy Pelosi House doesn't end our chances for peace in Darfur.

TECHNORATI TAGS: DARFUR SUDAN GENOCIDE HOLOCAUST UNITED NATIONS GEORGE BUSH CONDOLEEZA RICE JANJAWEED NANCY PELOSI JOHN BOLTON

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