WHO IS SURPRISED THAT W TAKES SUCH A WEAPON MORE SERIOUSLY THAN THE TRANSNATIONALISTS DO?:

Bush Does the Right Thing for Darfur: A critic praises the president's stand on war criminals and international law. (KENNETH ROTH, 11/24/08, Wall Street Journal)

Human Rights Watch rarely lauds the Bush administration. But when it comes to supporting international efforts to prosecute Sudanese leaders for their slaughter in Darfur, the administration so far has it right.

The International Criminal Court's prosecutor is seeking an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for the atrocities he allegedly directed in Darfur. Sudan's government is trying to convince the United Nations Security Council to suspend the prosecution.

On the one hand, Khartoum has launched a charm offensive, announcing on Nov. 12 yet another cease-fire and peace initiative. On the other hand, it is subtly threatening violence against civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarian workers should prosecution proceed. Backing Sudan are Libya and China, as well as South Africa -- whose concept of African solidarity tends to favor African persecutors over their African victims.

Surprisingly, the toughest governmental defender of the proposed indictment is the Bush administration -- which entered office vowing to undermine the ICC because of the theoretical possibility that it might someday prosecute an American.

Africa, in particular, is in for a rude awakening as a Realist replaces the bes friend they ever had in Washington.

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 24, 2008 8:12 PM