Congress rebuffs Rice on Darfur troop funding

[Judi Lynn]

Congress rebuffs Rice on Darfur troop funding
Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:32 PM ET

By Saul Hudson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress rejected U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's impassioned appeal to provide $50 million for African troops trying to keep peace in Sudan's Darfur region, the State Department said on Monday.

U.S. funding for about 6,000 African Union peacekeepers ends this year and the State Department is concerned that violence in Darfur will only get worse if more money is not found to keep the mission going.

Still, despite the rejection by a Congress under pressure to keep spending down, the U.S. State Department said it would seek to find the money from other foreign aid programs for the Darfur mission.

"We are frustrated and disappointed. The AU plays an important role in Darfur," State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said.
(snip/...)

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2005-12-19T233232Z_01_ARM984738_RTRUKOC_0_US-SUDAN-DARFUR-USA.xml&archived=False

[Homer12]

1. Racist Republican Congress

Sure when the US army wants to Invade and occupy other countries killing thousands upon thousands of innocent it's no problem getting money.

But when the de scion comes to give a small amount of money to peacekeeping forces to stop the genocide of black people then their excuse is to keep spending down.

Racist Lier's.

[Charlie Brown]

2. Condi was right about this one

It is part of our responsibility to human rights to support peacekeeping endeavors and confront genocide, albeit without using unilateral force.

The AU peacekeeping force in Sudan was essential to stability and no good can come from ending its role in Sudan.

[uppityperson]

4. I agree with you here.

Don't end the UN peacekeeping in Sudan.

[journalist3072]

3. I need a Nitroglycerin tablet right about now!

I actually agree with Condi Rice!

Help me; I never thought I'd see the day!!

See, I think this shows a total difference between us and the Republicans.

We are not afraid to say when someone from the other party does something right. It's not often that they do--but when they do, we are not afraid to say that person is right on the issue at hand.

Republicans have developed an attitude that if it has a Democrat's name after it, it's no good.

[Demeter]

7. I Just Worry That It's A Smokescreen

Busheviks can't tell the simple truth to save their lives. Has anybody checked if this money is serving its intended purpose, or is it diverted to some more typically sleazy BushCo scheme?

[journalist3072]

8. You make an excellent point...

Bush has made a habit of earmarking money for certain projects/programs, but somehow the money doesn't get to the intended audience.

Take for example, the money that he has earmarked for AIDS in Africa.

What he wont' tell you, is that much of that money is tied to abstinence-only programs.

So you're absolutely right.

[Roy]

5. Smoke and mirrors...........

Ask passionately for money in public after making sure the congress that's completely controlled by your party that rubber stamps everything you ask for knows to slap it down.

Yep, we are passionate about helping those poor Africans but congress said no.
Okay, back to Iraq and all that oil.

[wordpix2]

6. real problem here is Darfur doesn't have oil; otherwise, no problem to

send in all troops needed