For extended analyses of the situation in Darfur and what is (not) being done to save people, read Eric Reeves. From the reading that I have done in the last few days for my class discussion of Darfur, it seems that the only way to stop the genocide will be an extensive military intervention of around 50,000 troops, in order to protect civilians and fight off the Janjaweed and Sudan army troops. Eric Reeves is arguing for this, as is Brian Steidle, the former U.S. Marine who was a ceasefire monitor in Darfur for several months. In order for this intervention to be approved by the U.N., the U.S. will have to exert vast pressure on the other members of the Security Council (including Russia and China, both of which have economic interests in Sudanese oil and don't want to see them threatened). Senators Sam Brownback of Kansas and Jon Corzine of New Jersey have introduced the "Darfur Accountability Act" which has gone the farthest toward advocating military intervention of this type, essentially by strengthening the presently-existing African Union force in Darfur (currently only at about 2,000 troops, and without a mandate to protect civilians).

And will this happen? The lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, hang on what we are willing to do.