Newsweek Discovers Darfur, Omits Decades of US Policy Failures
The story details aid group concerns for civilians in Darfur, post-RSF takeover, painting it as a fresh crisis. Conveniently overlooked is the fact that the Rapid Support Forces are direct descendants of the Janjaweed militias, instruments of ethnic cleansing lauded by Khartoum during the 2000s genocide. The international community, including the US, promised 'never again' then, but did precious
little to dismantle the apparatus of violence. One might wonder why Newsweek isn't asking how a US-sanctioned former regime general, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti), and his rebranded terror squad are now vying for power, having received support from various regional actors, even as US policy zig-zagged. How many genocides must Darfur endure before sustained, principled intervention replaces
performative concern? The lack of historical context frames a cyclical tragedy as a spontaneous new event, thereby absolving past inaction.