After lengthy debate, the Obama administration has settled on a policy toward Sudan that offers a dramatically softer approach than the president had advocated on the campaign trail -- but steers clear of the conciliatory tone advocated by his special envoy to the country.
The new U.S. policy, which will be formally unveiled Monday, calls for a campaign of "pressure and incentives" to cajole the government in Khartoum into pursuing peace in the troubled Darfur region, settling disputes with the autonomous government in southern Sudan and providing the United States greater cooperation in stemming international terrorism, according to administration officials briefed on the plan. It also provides Khartoum with a path to improved relations with the United States if it begins to address long-standing U.S. concerns.
Yeah, this makes sense. Because committing genocide is a cooly calculated policy not driven by any religious or racial hatred at all. Surely, the regime in Khartoum could be convinced to not slaughter residents of Darfur with more finely nuanced cajoling by the Obama administration.
And mind you, this policy was decided upon after "lengthy debate."