Investor's Business Daily, April 16th, 2007
Foreign Policy: Sen. Joe Biden would throw the people of Iraq to the Islamofascist wolves, but he considers it a "moral imperative" that we militarily intervene in Darfur. The Chinese might have something to say about that.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Biden, currently leading Dennis Kucinich in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, wants us out of Iraq by the end of this year. And judging by his statements at a committee hearing, he wants us in Sudan by the end of next week.
"I would use American force now," Biden said. "I think it's time to put force on the table and use it."
While saying the Iraq surge strategy of President Bush and Gen. David Petraeus is doomed to failure, Biden says senior military officials in uniform told him that 2,500 U.S. troops in Sudan could "radically change the situation on the ground now."
So America's presence in Iraq is provoking terrorists but dealing militarily with the regime of Sudanese thug Omar al-Bashir would be a walk in the park and make a positive impact? When he says "force," does he mean force? And who would we be shooting at? Chinese troops maybe?
As Heritage Foundation senior fellow Peter Brookes points out, the root of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur lies in China's lust for oil -- in this case, Sudanese oil. Beijing, armed with a Security Council veto, runs interference in the U.N. for Khartoum's ethnic cleansing. It provides weapons in violation of a U.N. ban and even sends troops to protect its oil interests.
China has not deployed its troops abroad in any significant way for five centuries. Yet about six years ago, it sent 4,000 to Sudan to protect its oil interests there. As Brookes points out, while the Chinese-armed Arab-Muslim Janjaweed engages in genocide, China buys 70% of Sudan's oil, propping up Khartoum's economy.
In the last decade, Chinese energy companies have invested as much as $10 billion in Sudan's energy industry, at least $250 million of which has found its way into Khartoum's coffers. Sudan has doubled its military budget in recent years, spending some 60% to 70% of its budget on weapons -- Chinese weapons.
The China National Petroleum Corp. owns 40% -- the largest single share -- of the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Co., a consortium that dominates Sudan's oil fields in partnership with the national energy company and firms from Malaysia and India. It also owns the concessions for Block 6, an oil field partly located in southern Darfur.
Chinese oil workers work under the protection of Sudanese troops largely armed with Chinese-made weapons. Billboards in Khartoum carry pictures of smiling Chinese workers and the slogan: "CNPC -- Your close friend and faithful partner."
China is Sudan's largest supplier of arms, according to a former Sudan government minister, and it is Chinese-made tanks, aircraft, helicopters and other weapons that Khartoum uses to clear civilians and rebels from oil-fields rich in petroleum.
Where, pray tell, is China's "moral imperative" to do something about Darfur, Sen. Biden? Some might dare to call the Chinese policy in Sudan "blood for oil."
If the crisis is this urgent, how about the U.S. leading the concerned international community and boycott the 2008 Olympics in Beijing as we did the 1980 Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan?
Just a thought.
Copyright 2007 Investor's Business Daily, Inc.
