South Sudan became the world's newest country Saturday with a raucous street party at midnight. At a packed mid-day ceremony, the speaker of parliament read a proclamation of independence as the flag of Sudan was lowered and the flag of South Sudan was raised, sparking wild cheers from the crowd.
South Sudanese were apparently pretty touched by the parade of foreign dignitaries welcoming them to the world.
They do have two advantages. One, they separate themselves from the horrible (and earned) image of Sudan, which used its oil and Chinese backing to try to kill its way through various internal problems.
Two, they have the friendship of America:
The United States gains a great ally with the birth of the Republic of Southern Sudan. It is a largely Christian nation whose official language is now English. It sits at a strategic mid-point in east Africa along the banks of the Nile. Many Sudanese sought asylum in the United States when the civil war was ongoing. There is a deep affinity between our two nations, despite the distance. As his trademark, President Salve Kiir proudly wears a black cowboy hat given to him by President George W. Bush. Likewise, President Obama is revered, at least in part because he made stopping the genocide in Darfur one of his signature issue during the time he was in the Senate.
The Republic of Southern Sudan has more than its share of challenges ahead, but it will almost certainly be a strong friend of the United States – especially if we return the favor.
Lucky for South Sudan, they won't be seen as the child of Bush by our administration despite his role in setting the stage for this day because Obama is popular too in South Sudan, having staked out positions on Sudan while in the Senate.
We've already recognized the new country:
AFRICOM should get right on this place. We have a head start on this country because of our role in birthing this nation. We should take care not to blow it.
UPDATE: Well, they're screwed: China has expressed an interest in their oil.
