I don’t like to rain on this parade, but I will anyway. Indignation is fine. It is a wonderful thing to become aware, really aware, of the gawdawful reality of places like the Sudan and Saudi Arabia.

However, aside from blowing the whole area up (not a bad idea, I think in the middle of the night, contemplating the sheer awfulness of those societies)…

diplomacy? Bush sent Danforth over, who stopped the mayhem in southern Sudan (mainly by chatting up with the one civilized leader in Africa, Museveni of Uganda). I wonder if it is coincidental that it is now, the Sudanese are attacking, murdering and enslaving the western Darfur-ians? And just where are these slaves being sold anyway? I mean, supply always implies demand, and in between there is money, is there not?

how about above board intervention? Well, China is in like flynn, pumping out the oil; France has been dabbling in the area for decades (diamonds, Rwandan genocide). Remember what happened to Chinese Gordon.

I am not saying something cannot be done – but I have much more faith in Bush’s war on terror the way it is playing out now – special forces, buying off the good people of the desert, etc.

And finally, it is time for the UN headquarters to be moved to its real centre of power: how about Riyadh, folks?