Africa Activists Express Deep Disappointment Over G-8 Results

Here is the perfect opportunity for the UN, Canada and Europe to step up to the plate and put boots on the ground. I'm not holding my breath. It's a lot easier to bitch, whine and point fingers when the US takes action.

But, against the background of the Darfur crisis in Sudan, Booker was unimpressed. "Instead of talking out of their hats about training 50,000 peacekeepers, the G-8 leaders must act NOW to put boots on the ground in Sudan to halt genocide, as is required by the international Genocide Convention," he said.

Even the G-8's communique on Sudan was disappointing to activists who have been calling for intervention. Instead of describing the situation as the world's "worst humanitarian crisis," as the UN did several weeks ago, the world's most powerful leaders noted "continuing reports of gross violations of human rights, many with an ethnic dimension." It called on all parties to the conflict to respect the cease-fire worked out last month and on the Khartoum to disarm the Arab militias and other armed groups responsible for the abuses.

Deep Disappointment Over G-8 Results

Besides, isn't Europe supposed to be closer to Africa? Lately, I've been leaning towards being very isolationist. We should only take action if our interests are directly affected.