Warlords Play with Donald Trump
It is the third war that Trump seeks to quell. Once again he won’t be successful. His intention is to show the world that he’s trying.
After Donald Trump failed to make peace, first in the Gaza Strip and then in Ukraine, Sudan is now up. Since the president suddenly discovered in his own words how “important” Sudan is in talks with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince last week, the war that is currently the most brutal in the world, with its devastating impacts of a refugee crisis and famine, is suddenly Washington’s top priority.
A two-month-old peace plan by the U.S. Department of State, which until now had only garnered the attention of experts, is suddenly serving Sudan’s warlords as a template to either flatter Trump or turn their back on him, both intended as signs of self-confidence.
This demonstration of aversion is being pursued by Sudan’s head of state and army, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who has flatly rejected the U.S. plan because it could lead to an end to military rule in Sudan and the dissolution of his security forces while the “terrorists” of the Rapid Support Forces maintain legitimacy as peace partners.
In contrast, Burhan’s opponent in war, General Hemedti, is putting on a display of sweet talk with Trump. His RSF militia is committing horrendous war crimes in Darfur and, just a month ago, marked a new low point in the Sudanese horror with large-scale public massacres in the freshly conquered city of El Fasher.
The RSF Head Acts Tactically
Hemedti, with his announcement that he will observe a three-month ceasefire and thus implement the central first step of the U.S. peace plan, is seizing the chance to appear to be a partner of the United States. He knows that as long as Sudan’s government doesn’t participate in the ceasefire, and it will not, the risk that peace will actually come about and the RSF will have to lay down its arms is close to zero. But meanwhile, he hopes Trump will favor him as Sudan’s peacemaker.
Internationally, his militia is accused of genocide in Darfur and the appeals worldwide to finally do something decisively against it are multiplying. Hemedti can now adeptly avoid this with his message of peace, which no one in Sudan itself believes.
It is a cynical calculation, but it could work. Of course, the guns in Sudan won’t fall silent. But that will matter to Trump just as little as in Ukraine or Gaza. The point is that the president can say that he is the one who is showing the path to peace. If the warriors don’t want to walk it, then it is their own fault. And their victims can see where they stand.
After Donald Trump failed to make peace, first in the Gaza Strip and then in Ukraine, Sudan is now up. Since the president suddenly discovered in his own words how “important” Sudan is in talks with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince last week, the war that is currently the most brutal in the world, with its devastating impacts of a refugee crisis and famine, is suddenly Washington’s top priority.
A two-month-old peace plan by the U.S. Department of State, which until now had only garnered the attention of experts, is suddenly serving Sudan’s warlords as a template to either flatter Trump or turn their back on him, both intended as signs of self-confidence.
This demonstration of aversion is being pursued by Sudan’s head of state and army, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who has flatly rejected the U.S. plan because it could lead to an end to military rule in Sudan and the dissolution of his security forces while the “terrorists” of the Rapid Support Forces maintain legitimacy as peace partners.
In contrast, Burhan’s opponent in war, General Hemedti, is putting on a display of sweet talk with Trump. His RSF militia is committing horrendous war crimes in Darfur and, just a month ago, marked a new low point in the Sudanese horror with large-scale public massacres in the freshly conquered city of El Fasher.
The RSF Head Acts Tactically
Hemedti, with his announcement that he will observe a three-month ceasefire and thus implement the central first step of the U.S. peace plan, is seizing the chance to appear to be a partner of the United States. He knows that as long as Sudan’s government doesn’t participate in the ceasefire, and it will not, the risk that peace will actually come about and the RSF will have to lay down its arms is close to zero. But meanwhile, he hopes Trump will favor him as Sudan’s peacemaker.
Internationally, his militia is accused of genocide in Darfur and the appeals worldwide to finally do something decisively against it are multiplying. Hemedti can now adeptly avoid this with his message of peace, which no one in Sudan itself believes.
It is a cynical calculation, but it could work. Of course, the guns in Sudan won’t fall silent. But that will matter to Trump just as little as in Ukraine or Gaza. The point is that the president can say that he is the one who is showing the path to peace. If the warriors don’t want to walk it, then it is their own fault. And their victims can see where they stand.
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