On Sunday, a new audiotape featuring Osama bin Laden aired on major networks. In between his hackneyed rantings and ravings of American's impending destruction, bin Laden targeted a new area ripe for terrorism and its exploits: Sudan.
On the tape, Osama rails against the agreement that ended Sudan's civil war with its Christian South and accuses the United States of plotting to dispatch "Crusader troops" to occupy Darfur "and steal its oil wealth under the pretext of peacekeeping." Bin Laden implores mujahideen fighters to travel to Darfur and train for impending U.N. missions that seek to end a genocide that has displaced 2.5 million people and taken the lives of 400,000 more.
On Tuesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to discuss Iran's willingness to share its nuclear technology and knowledge with other countries, primarily other Muslim nations. The Muslim Sudanese government has expressed its desire in the past to create a nuclear program to help generate electric power.
While the Bush administration has done far more than its European or Arab counterparts in trying to stem the genocide in Darfur, it has not done nearly enough. The administration should begin to rethink its strategy, mainly because of Darfur's relevance to its foreign policy goals. If the administration is serious about deterring the spread of terrorism and stemming nuclear weapons proliferation, it need look no further than intervening in Darfur.
The barbaric acts of violence within Darfur are undoubtedly acts of terror. Government-backed militia groups pillage Sudanese villages, raping, maiming and killing defenseless women and children. Ironically, the violence has pitted Muslim against Muslim, with the government in Khartoum sponsoring Arab-Muslim raids against innocent African-Muslims. And the terror has begun to spread.
In neighboring Chad, where the president has provided Darfur refugees a safe haven, roaming Sudanese terror militias have begun to retaliate, continuing their mindless policy of rape, torture and death. Hoping to ignite a civil war and install a puppet warlord, the Sudanese government is threatening to spread its reign of terror throughout northern Africa while the international community rests on its haunches. Bin Laden's recent call to arms should provide enough incentive for Mr. Bush to begin making serious demands of the Sudanese government.
Additionally, with the Iranian government serious about creating a nuclear weapon and intent on distributing its technology to other countries that share similar genocidal visions, Sudan has now become a likely recipient of dangerous nuclear information and know-how. While the international community must do all that it can to prevent Iran's deranged leaders from obtaining nukes, it must also deter the spread of highly dangerous information into the hands of genocidal dictators like Mr. Bashir.
Sadly, many Arabs and their leaders have sided with Sudan's officials and done absolutely nothing to confront this ongoing genocide. Remarkably, almost all of the victims are fellow Muslims. While more than willing to contribute funding to the cash-strapped terrorist group, Hamas, in the last few days, Arab and Muslim countries have declined to offer any assistance to those most in need. These countries should begin to contribute to the existing humanitarian relief efforts and cease their continued criticism of a Western-backed deployment in the region, unless they are willing to offer a viable alternative.
This Saturday, a number of Wisconsin students will attend the "Rally to Stop Genocide" in Washington, D.C. The rally will feature prominent political leaders, clergy members and rights activists from across the ideological spectrum. Though many of you will not be able to attend because of the Mifflin festivities, you can still make a significant contribution to this invaluable cause.
Contact your local congressional member and tell them to finally implement the provisions of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, which places travel sanctions and freezes the assets of those determined to be complicit in atrocities in Darfur, imposes sanctions on Sudan and increases the troop levels of African Union troops already in Darfur. While just an initial step in resolving this conflict, it will show the world that the United States is truly serious about stopping genocide, deterring the spread of terror and ending nuclear proliferation.
Josh Moskowitz ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in political science and journalism.
