President Obama’s Approach to Sudan: Gambling on Carrots, Not Sticks

Morgan Lorraine Roach / January 07, 2011

Last November, President Obama made Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir an offer: Allow southern Sudan to secede peacefully in the upcoming referendum and the United States will remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terror. Ironically enough, President Obama admonished President Bush when he made a similar offer two years ago. The Obama Administration gave Bashir, a man responsible for mass genocide, an opportunity to save face.

While this offer will be rescinded should Bashir fail to live up to his promise, the label “state sponsor of terror” should not be treated as a political tool. Such a status should be removed only if a country legitimately ends its support to terrorist organizations. Sudan has been listed as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1993. It has been a safe haven for some of the most wanted terrorists, including Carlos the Jackal and Osama bin Laden. (more…)