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George Clooney ER

by | 15th, September 2006

“AFTER September 30, you won’t need the UN," said the actor. "You will simply need men with shovels and bleached white linen and headstones."

Cut!

George Clooney has entered the world of politics – and not local politics, like Clint Eastwood, but world politics. If Ronald Reagan can do it, why not Clooney? And Reagan had once been out-acted by a monkey. Clooney was a TV doctor. We trust doctors.

The Guardian is there to see Clooney appear before the UN Security Council. It is described as “an informal briefing” organised by the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, the group set up and named in honour of the Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor.

Clooney (isn’t he dreamy) says Darfur would become the scene of the "first genocide of the 21st century" if (deep brown eyes) peacekeepers were not sent to Sudan by the end of the month.

In case the assembled great and good are too busy wondering if George will take them to dinner, or give them walk-on part in his next movie, the actor reiterates his point.

“The United States has called it genocide," he tells council members. "For you it’s called ethnic cleansing. But make no mistake – it is the first genocide of the 21st century. And if it continues unchecked it will not be the last.”

Action!

But there might be little or no action. Sure, as the Independent says (“Sudan blocks UN plan for peacekeeping force”), the Security Council wants to establish a UN peacekeeping force for the Sudanese province.
And it has drawn up plans for as may as 22,500 UN troops and police officers to be sent to the area before the year. But the Sudanese government doesn’t fancy it. Thanks for your time. But no thanks.

But George will not be easily deterred. The Guardian says between “170,000 and 255,000 people have died since 2003, when ethnic African tribes revolted against the Arab-led Khartoum government”.

(Why is this and not Israel the main focus of the international news agenda? Who made Israel the No.1 story?)

George wants action. And with his presence, Darfur is certainly in the news again. But it might not be enough. George might need to do more – like have a baby in the country, and do for Sudan what Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have done for Namibia?

We wish him every luck with it. And if he wins the day, why not stop there? Why not go all the way to the White House. It can’t be hard to be President – George Bush did it.

President George Clooney ER (Elected Representative). Yes, it sounds pretty good. And with George in the top job, the world could have a President to truly admire.



Posted: 15th, September 2006 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink