In regards to not sending troops to that region, President Bush explained that it was a distinctive decision. He explained that part of that decision was that he did not want to send troops to another Muslim country. In Sudan, there is a strong Muslim influence. Bush spoke in the interview before his trip to Africa.
Also, Bush would talk about the status and controversy over the 2008 Summer Olympics set to take place in Beijing, China this coming August. Recently, award winning Hollywood director Steven Spielberg dropped out from assisting as creative adviser in protest. In a statement, Spielberg said that China was not doing enough to stop the violence and genocide in Darfur.
In that regard, Bush said that he would not do the same thing as Spielberg did. Bush said he will attend the Beijing Olympics as scheduled.
“I view the Olympics as a sporting event,” Bush said to BBC. China has been trying to keep the politics of Beijing and the Beijing Olympics separate. However, there have been groups and people that have attempted to link them together.
But, Bush said that he would use the opportunity to remind Chinese President Hu Jintao that he can do more to stop the suffering that plagues Darfur.
In regards to the Africa trip, Bush will not visit Kenya.
In the case of China and Darfur, Governor Bill Richardson, the former Democratic presidential hopeful said during the CNN Democratic debates in the previous year that China is Sudan’s biggest customer in buying oil.
Richardson explained that China has control of the economy as a result. He had given the suggestion that the United States should threaten to boycott the 2008 Olympics in Beijing to send a message that the country needs to do more.
Bush said he stood by his decision not to send troops to Darfur. He also added that he would not take the same action Spielberg did. It would look as if the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and Darfur will be linked.
This poses one question: Will China be able to keep Beijing’s politics and the Olympics in Beijing separate?
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