Chief NOBama Sells Snake Oil In Sudan

The only country in the world that's being led by an indicted war criminal, Sudan, has recently been visited by the notoriously naive and gullible U.S envoy, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration. Mr. Gration, a child of missionaries, had a five day visit with southern officials, displaced Darfurians, rebels, and residents who's chief and unilateral complaint was that the U.S didn't understand their plight with a controlling government. While the government was putting on an elaborate display of smoke screens successfully concealing manipulation, rape,murder, targeted taxing of the indigent refugees, and incredible acts of human rights violations, Mr. Gration just looked away.


Mr. Gration was quoted as saying,”we've got to think about giving out cookies," said Gration, who was appointed in March. "Kids, countries -- they react to gold stars, smiley faces, handshakes, agreements, talk, engagement."

Tell me something, Mr. Gration, if I told one of my convicts I supervise, to not sell drugs, kill people, or rape their future victims if I gave them cookies and stickers, do you think they will take me serious? Will they actually think, I've spent my whole life in prison because no one gave me any adulation? No! They will laugh their tattooed -ladened asses off and hysterically plot their next crime and how they will easily get away with it! Give me a break!

As envoys have come and gone in Sudan, shaking their heads filled with ignorant ideologies, many have discovered that Sudan has tricked them with their lies.

However, Mr. Gration believes that it's not the government at fault, at least not for the most part. He believes it is the rest of the country's fault. They are the ones spreading civil unrest. Nevertheless, he convinced himself and the Obama Administration during this recent visit that things have improved greatly since the last time Sudan had been visited by U.S officials.

Southerners have repeatedly accused the government of arming militias to create chaos ahead of the semi- autonomous vote in 2011, and tribal violence has killed 2,000 people in the south this year. Despite the never-ending 20 year savage war the government has executed against the southerners, Mr. Gration encouraged them to be patient and be trusting of the government. This reminds me of the old adage, you only let yourself get burned by the hot stove once! Who on earth would trust someone who has nearly exterminated your people?

Near El Fasher, Gration delivered his message recently to a group of women in the Abu Shouk camp. As the battered and afflicted women, who had been repeatedly raped and pillaged by government militias in the recent past, listened to Mr. Gration they mulled over the glaring fact that the impact of these visits haven't materialized. Experts estimate that at least 400,000 people have been murdered and 1.7 million people have been displaced by the government.

Aid workers, who are desperately wanting to help people victimized by the civil war, told Mr. Gration that the government was purposely delaying permits and access to the refugee camps. Mr. Gration's response? “I thought that problem was fixed,” referring to a deal struck with the government in Khartoum. Of course, it hasn't come to fruition.

Kidnappings in tightly government-controlled areas have been blamed on the government too. Mr. Gration explained to men he met, after a luxurious helicopter ride to an area demolished by intense fighting, that he felt that with the exception of the aid worker's complaints, that the people's accounts of government abuse of power were unfounded. In the case of the aid workers, there was just a simple “disconnect” between communicating parties and a trivial misunderstanding.

Imagine, just imagine. Your daughter and wife are brutally raped, and mutilated to the point that they eventually succumb to their grievous injuries and die a horrible death. Your sons are beheaded and their bodies can't even be found so you can bury them. You are left in a refugee camp, starving and unable to find your way, or food. The little food available is horrendously taxed on purpose so that you can't afford to eat and you eventually starve to death. But, before you meet your dark fate, some pompous ass in a fancy helicopter glides down, caviar and expensive treats in his well suited belly, and has a short chat with you. He says to you that all of your devastating experiences, as well as the accounts given by others like you, are poppycock. The government is turning around, turning over a new leaf. There was just a mere misunderstanding between communicating parties. There should be no reason why you shouldn't trust the government fully.

How would you react to that? What would you think of his country that he came from? What would be the last thing that would cross your feeble mind, as you took your last dying breath?

Why did we hire this incredibly inexperienced and undiplomatic fool? While I agree that it's too convenient to blame the government entirely for all the problems, having complete lack of understanding for the country's plight seems to me to put our country at risk and ignore the bigger picture. Who knows if Sudan may be our next country we are a military odds with? Would it not be wise to foster a symbiotic relationship as much as possible and develop realistic policies with Sudan? If they can kill their own people in such hideous way, just think of what they are capable of doing to people in other countries!

The political status quo is to acknowledge the word of a criminal government rather than the cries of a brutalized people, and to tread softly around an issue that, as Obama himself has declared, “offends the standards of our common humanity." Instead of confronting Bashir, the Obama Administration is emphasizing trust in the Sudanese government-a government filled with broken promises and genocide. The Administration's rhetoric is absurd!

Even with that said, we don't need to be giving them or anyone a handout. We have meddled into enough people's business around the world already. But if we insist in going over to Sudan-something I am not sure if we needed to do in the first place, don't be insensitive and disregard their complaints. An experienced professional that's familiar with East Africa is needed, not Gration. We have really put ourselves in a bottomless pit with this Administration!

The Obama administration is expected to complete a policy review on Sudan in the next two weeks. I pray that the policy they adopt has the people of Sudan first and foremeost in mind, not a brutal government because of some sort of political gain. I pray that our policy is just enough involved that it sets clear boundries between our countires, but at the same time doesn't underscore their independence by creating dependence on our handouts. We have enough problems in our own country, and our nation is already too far in debt to ever get out. Please Obama, stop ogling at your reflection, saturating the local TV shows, and be our President!