CASTASTROPHES IN U.S. ARE ALWAYS LESS IMPORTANT Darfur's Situation Is Disturbing, But Action Needed In U.S.

Darfur's homeless 

Reading Angelia Jolie’s call for action (in a Newsweek editorial) to the situation in Sudan,  gave me pause for thought.  And although Jolie has some valid points including, “Holding perpetrators of mass atrocities accountable is the best way to ensure justice today and peace in the future.” I wondered who do WE, the American people get to hold accountable for its current and continued catastrophes?
Hopefully Jolie isn’t implying that President Obama should wage yet a third war against Sudan.  As there has been quite enough unnecessary bloodshed to last all mankind a lifetime.   Though American citizens seem to think we are the saviors to each and every war torn nation,  it is quite apparent the U.S. didn’t learn very much from the Vietnam war, practically the need to value American lives as much as some seem to think the U.S. should value the lives of Foreign countries – tragically other nations  don’t seem to be duty-bound  nor compelled to save our U.S. Troops that are still being sacrificed in Iraq and Afghanistan; yet we (America) are suppose to feel obligated to do so for others.  America by no means needs to become involved in yet another war in an effort to save yet another country unwilling or inapt to fight its own battles.  Simply put, we don’t need more slain U.S. Troops,  more American widows/widowers,  nor do we need more American orphans.
Appreciate that (we) Americans are not heartless human beings and as incredibly disturbing as the situation in Darfur may be,  it needs to be understood that the situation here in the United States of America is incredibly disturbing as well, and if we don’t get help soon – we may very well become another third world country whose seeking the help Darfur supporters are demanding from us now.
A reader replied to Jolie’s editorial with: “…we are and should be the President's first priority.  He is the President of the United States and serves the American people first.”   That in and of itself is a truth far too many seem to forget; and that is what should be inscribed on U.S. Currency, as a reminder to everyone who has forgotten which country the President of the United States presides over.  “… I will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”  Just wondering when the United States will take precedence over all others.
While Jolie is calling for action from the White House, just wondering if, General Martin Luther Agway the Nigerian military officer and commander of the combined United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur still believes what he said, a week before he was scheduled to leave Darfur? When he declared that the genocide in Darfur was over.  "…people trying to resolve issues over water and land at a local level. But real war as such, I think we are over that."
In Jolie’s Newsweek editorial, she offers recommendations to improve the U.N. Security Council's responsiveness, ‘while urging the United States to make clear its willingness to act on its own if necessary’.  Some may take issue with the latter of her suggestion.  If the U.S. chooses to stand alone, they could very well be setting themselves up for isolation and destruction.  You can not retain allies (in or outside the UN) if you refuse to maintain alliances with them.  With that said…
As we continue to save the world, Jolie as well as others that support (all)causes abroad, may wish to keep in mind, that at some point the United States will have to consider taking care of the United States and the citizens that reside on U.S. soil.

Detroit’s Ruins

photo above shows a homeless man encased in ice

Clearly we can’t solve the world’s problems in a single blog post or a 30-minute episode as they did in television’s yester-year, nor can it be done in the first year tenure of a Presidency, so until the next episode, lets just continue to make an effort…