Biden Favors U.S. Troops for Darfur
By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press Writer
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Joseph Biden called again Monday for U.S. troops to help quell the violence in Sudan's Darfur region, drawing a strong rebuke from Sudan's U.N. envoy.
The comments from the Delaware senator, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, came as he led a bipartisan delegation to the United Nations for talks with key U.N. officials.
"The bottom line was this: There's genocide taking place," Biden said, adding that the world can't wait several months for action on the ground.
"Were I able to make the decision, I would impose a no-fly zone immediately, and I would commit forces to stop the janjaweed now. But I am not making that decision."
Biden, who made a similar call last month, confirmed that the forces he was referring to were U.S. troops.
Darfur's conflict between ethnic African rebels and the government - backed by Arab janjaweed militias - has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced 2.5 million others. A beleaguered 7,000-strong African Union force has been unable to stop the fighting.
Sudanese Ambassador Abdelmahmood Abdelhaleem, however, insisted "there is nothing in Darfur that is lagging," citing momentum for new political talks and movement on peacekeeping.
He said Biden's remarks were "not warranted at all because the peace process is moving."
President Bush warned a month ago that he would tighten economic sanctions and impose new ones unless Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir started making definite moves toward peace. Ban urged Bush to give diplomacy more time
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_SUDAN?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press Writer
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Joseph Biden called again Monday for U.S. troops to help quell the violence in Sudan's Darfur region, drawing a strong rebuke from Sudan's U.N. envoy.
The comments from the Delaware senator, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, came as he led a bipartisan delegation to the United Nations for talks with key U.N. officials.
"The bottom line was this: There's genocide taking place," Biden said, adding that the world can't wait several months for action on the ground.
"Were I able to make the decision, I would impose a no-fly zone immediately, and I would commit forces to stop the janjaweed now. But I am not making that decision."
Biden, who made a similar call last month, confirmed that the forces he was referring to were U.S. troops.
Darfur's conflict between ethnic African rebels and the government - backed by Arab janjaweed militias - has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced 2.5 million others. A beleaguered 7,000-strong African Union force has been unable to stop the fighting.
Sudanese Ambassador Abdelmahmood Abdelhaleem, however, insisted "there is nothing in Darfur that is lagging," citing momentum for new political talks and movement on peacekeeping.
He said Biden's remarks were "not warranted at all because the peace process is moving."
President Bush warned a month ago that he would tighten economic sanctions and impose new ones unless Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir started making definite moves toward peace. Ban urged Bush to give diplomacy more time
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_SUDAN?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
