Kerry op-ed on Sudan, This has the chance to be an Obama FP success that the RW

[karynnj]

also backed. Senator Brownback was one of first to make the case for doing more on Darfur

As the United States works with Israelis and Palestinians to sustain Mideast peace talks, another diplomatic effort to forge a two-state solution is quietly but quickly moving to the center of American foreign policy.

In about 100 days, the people of South Sudan are to vote on whether to declare independence from the government in Khartoum. That deadline was set when the two sides signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, which promised this option.

There is little suspense as to the outcome: Every reliable source indicates that South Sudan will vote for separation, dividing Africa's largest country and taking with it some 80 percent of known Sudanese oil reserves. No, the critical choice that leaders in both North and South face is between a future of peaceful coexistence or a return to chaos and war in a place tragically familiar with both.
<snip>
One painful lesson from years of Mideast peacemaking is that even when the elements that will constitute an accord may seem clear from the outside, the compromises and choices that will make it possible are difficult to accept, sequence and execute.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/10/07/kerry.sudan.referendum/?hpt=Sbin

In 2009, JK and Teresa went to Sudan and while there got agreement that the country would allow the aid to Darfur to return to the level it was at before aid workers were kicked out and that the Tri party talks would resume.

(For details on that trip, here are Prosense's threads with many articles: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8351510, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8343602 and http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8325095

Although the visit was a resounding success, when he referred to the agreements when he returned, Kerry was actually asked by NPR if the reason he was the one to announce this was because the administration thought it would fail. (Other than that bizarre question, it was a good interview.) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103295567&ft=1&f=1001&sc=YahooNews

One thing that Kerry did not speak of at all then was that Teresa actually broke a rib in Pakistan, where they went before going to Sudan. (At her health conference in Pittsburgh, she spoke of it) It is incredible that Teresa opted to continue on to Sudan, including Darfur, where her background was likely to help win trust from the Sudanese.

[DCKit]

1. "...80 percent of known Sudanese oil reserves..."

And NOW we know what's it's all been about.

[karynnj]

2. It's more complicated than that - have you read anything about Darfur?

The movement of the desert to include a much broader area resulted in food shortages that have led to hunger and death. It looks like Darfur is the western part of the Northern piece - as is the current capital - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/su.html

[karynnj]

3. kick for the evening