This is not the discussion over the current crisis/genocide/situation/insurgency in Darfur. I don't care about that. Something greater is happening.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1893927.htm)

Chad admits Sudan incursion
By Andrew Geoghegan

Strained relations between Sudan and Chad have turned violent, with troops from both countries clashing on the border.

Chad has admitted that earlier this week its army pursued rebels over the border into Sudan and clashed with Sudanese troops.

The fighting left at least 30 people dead, some of whom were civilians.

Chad maintains that Sudan is using the rebel Janjaweed militia to launch attacks on its territory, with the aim of overthrowing the Chadian Government.

However, that claim is denied by Sudan, which instead accuses Chad of supporting insurgents in the war torn Darfur region to fight Sudanese troops.

The dispute comes amid a renewed international push for UN peacekeepers to be sent to Darfur to prevent Sudan and Chad from being dragged into a regional war.

The last regional war I remember in Africa was fought in Congo and it was very deveasting, and terrible for all countries concerned. Congo rebuilt from the war, and new elections was held...only for Congo to return back to violence when the opposition refused to disarm, and the government decides to go and arrest the opposition leader illegally. So much for peace.

I don't care about the people dying in Darfur. I care about the larger regional war that will result when Chad and Sudan begin moblizing and start killing each other. Already, they have engaged in a low-level warfare by funding each other's insurgencies, but now, if things escalate...

My god. Just, my god. And I thought my homework assignment was Hell.

EDIT: Another article. http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSL10446035._CH_.2400)

The Sudanese government promised a firm response, including possible military action, to what it said was a Chadian army attack on Monday that killed 17 of its soldiers.

While Chad denied any deliberate assault on its eastern neighbour, it acknowledged its forces had clashed with Sudanese troops after crossing the border to pursue Sudanese-backed rebels it said were launching raids.

The incident marked a sharp flare-up of tension between the two oil-producing central African neighbours, whose ties have been increasingly marred by violence spilling over from the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region.

Sudan summoned the Chadian ambassador over the incident.

A Sudanese army spokesman, who asked not to be named, promised a "strong" response. "We will consider all responses, political, diplomatic and military," he said.

Chad's government warned Sudan against taking military action. "If Sudan opts for direct aggression, Chad will use all means to respond," Chad's Communication Minister Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor told a news conference in N'Djamena.

There should have been more UN troops in there long ago. However, it's not a rich, or a resource-rich, oil-producing nation so it doesn't garner the same kind of attention as, say, Iraq.

I'd doubt peacekeepers would even help. They might even cause an escalation of the conflict. Already, American public opinon is for the Darfuri Rebels, and Sudan worries that if UN peacekeepeers is dispatched over there, they would primraly protect the Darfuri rebels from the Sudanese Army. Sudan doesn't want to lose a province to rebels, because then other territories in the Southern part of Sudan would rebel, and it could cause for the balakanization of Sudan, and thereby the loss of Sudan's power and wealth, so they really are quite desperate at this situation.

And, while Darfur may not be an oil-producing place...Sudan is an oil producing country. So, this issue does have some geopolitical issues and concerns.

Sudan accuess Chad of Launching a Military Assault on Sudan's Capital (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080511/ap_on_re_af/sudan)

This surely makes relations even more terrible (altough, yes, I think I hear cheering from many, many people who hate Sudan with a vengence).

I'd doubt peacekeepers would even help. They might even cause an escalation of the conflict. Already, American public opinon is for the Darfuri Rebels, and Sudan worries that if UN peacekeepeers is dispatched over there, they would primraly protect the Darfuri rebels from the Sudanese Army. Sudan doesn't want to lose a province to rebels, because then other territories in the Southern part of Sudan would rebel, and it could cause for the balakanization of Sudan, and thereby the loss of Sudan's power and wealth, so they really are quite desperate at this situation.

And, while Darfur may not be an oil-producing place...Sudan is an oil producing country. So, this issue does have some geopolitical issues and concerns.


Given the abysmal record of UN peace keepers, I think they'd only end up as targets or a bunch of shutins. ;)

Where's diplomacy when you need it? Jeez...

I say we stay out of it. We really need to quit playing world police.

I say we stay out of it. We really need to quit playing world police.

I agree. Maybe if Europe cares so much they can get off their sorry butts and go deal with it.

I agree. Maybe if Europe cares so much they can get off their sorry butts and go deal with it.

Even though the conflicts in Africa, a completely separate continent?

Yeah, b/c it's so much easier for them to be compassionate with the US military than their own forces. :xp:

Continental divide isn't much of an issue anymore, Steven. Besides, North Africa is within gunshot range of Spain.

I beleive that the Iraq War has served as deterring exampel to many countries as to waht the consequences of intervening in such situtations can be...