Senator Russ Feingold on the Obama Administration's Sudan Strategy

October 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, released this statement on the Obama administration’s comprehensive strategy for Sudan:

“We need a comprehensive, coordinated approach toward all of Sudan to end the genocide in Darfur while preventing a return to civil war between the North and South. The administration’s strategy, as presented today, is a good step in that direction. I am pleased that the administration is committed to using ‘all elements of influence’ to achieve these objectives and I look forward to working with them to do so.

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"Still, I hope to learn more about the specific pressures being considered to make the Sudanese government comply and under what specific conditions these steps would be triggered. I strongly agree that incentives and disincentives must be based on real changes to conditions on the ground, not process-related accomplishments. Too often the Sudanese government has dragged its feet on its promises and has not been a trustworthy negotiating partner.”

On June 29th, Feingold along with Senator John McCain and others wrote a letter to President Obama outlining their concerns about the underpinnings of the administration’s approach. And during a July 30th hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at which the Obama administration’s Special Envoy to Sudan, Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, testified, Feingold raised concerns that the administration’s approach toward Sudan did not appear to include a clear strategy to hold the Sudanese government accountable or a plan to increase pressure if the government continued its historic foot-dragging.

Source: Senator Russ Feingold