US to Appoint Special Envoy

While no formal announcement has been made, several media outlets are reporting that US President Barack Obama will appoint retired Air Force General Scott Gration as his special envoy to Sudan. Such a formal announcement may come as early as tomorrow.

Gration has an interesting history – raised in the Congo, served as a fighter pilot, won a Purple Heart. He also traveled to Africa with Obama in 2006 and referred to the president as a “leader committed to end that genocide (Darfur)”.

Also Tuesday, the US State Department delivered harsh words to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and the “catastrophe” he has created by kicking aid organizations out of the country.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton appeared ready to take Bashir head-on –

They will be held responsible for every single death that occurs in those camps because by their expulsion of the aid workers, they are putting those 1.4 million lives at risk.

Thank you to those who urged the White House to wake up to the Darfur crisis and appoint a special envoy to Sudan.