1125 GMT - SUDAN – The Sudanese government said Sept. 29 that the person the U.S. State Department accuses of leading the Arab Janjaweed militia is a legitimate tribal leader, and that attempts to prosecute him in connection with the crisis in Darfur could lead to civil war. Sudan’s minister of state for foreign affairs said Sheikh Musa Hilal is a well-known chief of a large tribe and has nothing to do with the Janjaweed. Any moves against him could lead to tribal clashes, which could tear Sudan apart, the official said.

I’m all for taking care of those criminals in the Sudan, but there are risks here. Recall that mess in Somalia more than a decade ago. Part of our failure in Mogadishu was a mission creep, picking sides, and delving into clan politics. The above news item suggests we may be picking sides in tribal politics already, even if that is the Sudanese foreign minister speaking with his own national interests at heart. Somalia was a mess, and so was Ethiopia in the previous decade.

Does the US know how to intervene in east Africa? We should pressure Sudan, sanction them, threaten them, maybe even go in if we have to. But past mistakes should not be forgotten.

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