Something the Prez and I agree on

If nothing else, the last six-plus years of the Bush (mis)administration has helped crystallize my position on the political spectrum -- I used to consider myself a left-leaning centrist, socially pretty liberal, economically a little conservative. However, since 2000 either the spectrum has moved considerably to the right or I have become increasingly liberal as I approach my dotage, and I now find myself firmly ensconced on the left side of the fence.

One signifier of this personal shift has been that on nearly every major policy issue, with the notable exception of immigration, I have found myself in some reasonably significant (i.e., more than just mild) degree of disagreement with the administration position. However, today I finally found something else I can support El Presidente on. President Bush finally imposed some sanctions against the Sudanese government for its failure to address the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

In the past, such genocides could occur in relative privacy. These days, however, there is no excuse for not being aware of them. In particular, NY Time columnist Nicholas Kristof has been actively covering the story for years, including sneaking into the country after the Sudanese government had barred him, documenting the horrors and aftermaths of the attacks by Janjaweed militia. For his efforts, Kristof won his second Pulitzer prize last year.

In Sept. 2001 the President famously wrote "Not on my watch" while reviewing a report about his predecessor's weak response to the Rwanda genocide in the 1990's. Despite this, the Darfur killings have continued for years with little other than a rare verbal denouncement issuing from the White House. Today, however, Bush announced a set of four steps he intended to take in response to the failure of Sudan's government:

1. Increased enforcement of economic sanctions against a list of 100 Sudanese companies already barred from conducting business with the US.

2. Add 31 more companies to the list, 30 of which are sponsored by the Sudanese government.

3. Target specific individuals who are deemed responsible for the violence for sanctions.

4. Have Secretary of State Condolezza Rice consult with allies as a precursor to trying to pass a UN resolution imposing an arms embargo on Sudan and creating a military no-fly zone over the country.

I wish more had been done, and I wish it had been done sooner, but at least this is a first step. What is important is that it not be the only step. If President Bush is finally ready to get serious on this matter, he needs to make sure to follow-through on pressing for UN sanctions. They may come to naught (China has said they are opposed to the idea, and they can veto a Security Council resolution), but we must at least try.