Darfur-U.S.+Involvement

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The United States involvement in Darfur has been minimal since the beginning of the conflict in 2003. The U.S. has condemned the atrocities in Darfur, but the U.S. has not taken much action since the conflict started. On July 22, 2004, the United States called the atrocities in Darfur "genocide." In 2006, then Senator Barack Obama and Senator Sam Brownback were interviewed on the //Jim Lehrer News Hour//. The senators talked about the need for more U.S. involvement in Darfur. Senator Brownback complimented the Bush administration on its efforts compared to the rest of the world, but he said that more needed to be done. Senator Obama said that this conflict was a national security issue for the U.S. because the conflict creates seeds of terrorism that will end up affecting the U.S. On May 29, 2007, President George W. Bush imposed new sanctions against Sudan, and he asked for an international arms embargo and support to end the genocide in Darfur. President George Bush signed the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (DPAA) into law on October 13, 2008. This law says that the U.S. believes that there is genocide occurring in the Darfur conflict and that the U.S. will expand AMIS, which is the peacekeeping force in Africa. The law also asks the government to assist with the ICC (International Criminal Court) to bring war criminals to justice. Major General J. Scott Gration was appointed by President Barack Obama on March 18, 2009, as the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan. Gration grew up in Africa as the son of missionaries; he speaks Swahili and may be the perfect solution for negotiation with the Sudanese government to provide humanitarian relief for the people of Darfur. It is hoped that the Obama administration will do as much as possible to help stop the crimes against humanity in Darfur, but it is also up to each United States citizen to do his or her best to help as well.



Article in //The Washington Post// on the Darfur situation: []