Sudaneese Native Gives Pres. Bush a Thumbs Up

I had the most interesting conversation today with a student studying economics at the University of Pretoria. Peter is initially from Sudan, but here in RSA studying and working part-time at LHR. We had a chance to sit down today and when the topic turned to politics, in particular President Bush, he said, “you know, I’m a fan of President Bush.” I could not help but ask, “Why?” especially given the United States’ preoccupation with Iraq and the lack of attention paid to human rights abuses which have been occurring in Sudan for the past 3 years. Why should Peter support an administration that did not do enough to halt the genocide in Darfur? It was a fairly odd position, but the more I listened, the more I appreciated where he was coming from. Specifically, he said, “You know, I come from a country where people do not respect the rule of law and a diplomatic approach doesn’t always work, in which case you may have to use force … you have to be willing to use force.” In essence, therefore, I think that Peter, while disagreeing with the botched effort in Iraq, still believed in the use of forceful occupation … perhaps even wishing that that approach had been adopted with regard to the genocide in Sudan. It was an interesting conversation because it was the first time I have ever, outside of the U.S., heard anyone express admiration for President Bush.