I don't think anyone denies that atrocities are happening in Darfur. I agree with Wolfgang that the U.N. is reluctant to use the term genocide because of political implications. I would also agree with Azizi that this thread should not deteriorate into a Republican vs Democrat and I add a Muslim vs Non-Muslim thread. As usual, it is about oil and who controls the oil fields. In this case the people dying are Black Africans. The people in power are Arabs.

The U.N. has been working toward achieving peace in the region but so far nothing has worked. This doesn't mean that the problem is being ignored. It does mean that we should be paying attention and pressuring our govts. to do more.

What I see happening there is Arab and American interests struggling over the oil fields. Unfortunately, it is the Black African farmers that are being forced off their land and slaughtered. Once again it is the innocents who are being killed. Doesn't matter who wins this battle, neither side wants the farmers on that valuable piece of real estate.

So what is the answer? Should the farmers be left to tend the fields in peace? Of course, but it is unlikely. There is too much greed in the world and neither side of this battle will allow that to happen. That is why the whole issue is so confusing. Both sides of the battle will have us believe that it is the other guy who is to blame when, in fact, nobody wants the people of Darfur to retain their homeland.