Secondly, the title is either straight-up wrong or enigmatic. Darfur is not “the” issue to whom? Is this something that Natsios said? If so, then he should have been quoted as saying it in the body of the article. Is this the editor’s way of summing up Natsios’ comments? If so, it’s an exceedingly amateur way of saying that Natsios adressed other issues.

Thirdly, in returning to a discussion of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and South Sudan, the reporter should have noted the connection between the uprising in Darfur and the CPA, rather than dismissing Darfur as being not “the” issue. The Darfur uprising and subsequent genocidal retribution began largely because Darfur was excluded from the peace and power-sharing process hammered out in the CPA, so clearly it is a part of “the” issue.

Fourthly, Natsios’ recommendation to “focus on Sudan as a whole” rather than just Darfur is actually something that the “Save Darfur” element has been advocating for a long time. As David Sullivan noted above, the ENOUGH project has a report urging an all-Sudan solution, and the massive STAND network made “Apply an All-Sudan Solution” a key part of its spring 2008 campaign “asks” to President Bush. The campaign acronym SEAL asks Bush to “Stick to your promises,” “Enforce UNAMID,” “Apply an All Sudan Solution,” and “Lobby China.” It seems ridiculous that Natsios should urge the “American population” to focus on all of Sudan, when they’ve already been doing so, whereas the administration he served has done little if anything to ensure compliance to the CPA treaty that they brokered.

This is a prime example of why media outlets, lacking analytic skills, have been unable to see why and where the Bush administration, lead by men like Natsios, has failed again and again, issue after issue, to stem large-scale violence against civilians in Sudan.

Thanks to Talk Radio News Service for at least putting a spotlight on Sudan, but it really ought to do its homework, check the facts and context of what speakers say, and serve talk radio better by reporting on multiple voices and opinions.

Daniel
STAND Stronger