Eric Reeves, a professor at Smith College, writes in the Sunday Globe that “Humanitarian intervention in Darfur should be defined by security needs, not the capacity of the African Union or the political limitations of the UN.”
OK, but HOW? He goes on to demand that x, y, and z happen, but offers no realistic picture of how to achieve them.
On the other hand, Nicholas Kristof had a good column on Sudan in the Sunday Times, in which he offers a politically realistic set of steps that could be taken to curb the slaughter: “Mr. Bush could impose a no-fly zone, provide logistical support to a larger African or U.N. force, send Condoleezza Rice to Darfur to show that it’s a priority, consult with Egypt and other allies – and above all speak out forcefully.
“One lesson of history is that moral force counts. Sudan has curtailed the rapes and murders whenever international attention increased.”
To me, this presents a perfect illustration of how academics marginalize themselves and the influence they might have in the world by letting themselves become too detached from reality. While Reeves impotently lectures us on what reality should be, Kristof recommends measures rooted in the reality of the present situation.
