Darfur: America’s Plan B Has Been Launched!

It has begun!

President Bush has approved a plan for the Treasury Department to aggressively block U.S. commercial bank transactions connected to the government of Sudan, including those involving oil revenues, if Khartoum continues to balk at efforts to bring peace to Sudan’s troubled Darfur region, government officials said yesterday.

The Treasury plan is part of a secret three-tiered package of coercive steps — labeled “Plan B” — that the administration has repeatedly threatened to unleash if Sudan continues to sponsor a campaign of terror that has left as many as 450,000 dead and 2.5 million homeless. But the administration has held back on any announcement of Plan B, even after setting a Jan. 1 deadline, in hopes of still winning Khartoum’s cooperation.

The delays have increased skepticism that the administration is willing to risk potential diplomatic and commercial fallout from targeting Khartoum.

The U.S. plan would put pressure on Darfur rebel leaders who have refused to participate in peace talks or who have targeted humanitarian groups operating in the region, officials said. The information on Plan B was provided by officials in four government agencies on the condition of anonymity because the administration had not planned on releasing details yet.

Some aspects of Plan B have already been stealthily launched, such as stationing four U.S. Army colonels last month as observers on the Sudan-Chad border in full view of Sudanese intelligence. The unannounced move was intended as a signal to Khartoum, which the administration accuses of launching a “quiet war” against Chad’s government to widen the Darfur conflict.

Meanwhile Bush has confirmed the plan for a US command in Africa:

U.S. President George W. Bush confirmed plans Tuesday for the Pentagon to set up an Africa Command to oversee its operations there.

“This new command will strengthen our security cooperation with Africa and create new opportunities to bolster the capabilities of our partners in Africa,” Bush said in a statement. “Africa command will enhance our efforts to bring peace and security to the people of Africa and promote our common goals of development, health, education, democracy and economic growth in Africa.”

As for US military action against Sudan, it seems unlikely (for now) at least according to this. As soon as I have some time, I’ll blog an analysis of these latest events. China won’t be left out.