Blue helmets in Darfur? Not so fast.

It will be a cold day in Darfur before that particular dimension of Hell gets help from the outside world.

As reported in MetroBlogging Vancouver, my city will be joining New York, London, Paris and a host of others in staging the Global Day for Darfur. The local version of the event will take place outside of the Vancouver Art Gallery on Sunday between 2 and 5 pm, publicizing the need for a UN peacekeeping force to stop the genocide happening in Sudan.

Meanwhile, Sudan has been saying for months that it would fight any UN force actually capable of stopping the violence (The latest reminder can be read here). The implication is that the blue helmets would be facing not only the Sudanese military (probably not all that terrifying a challenge to a professional NATO force) but attacks from guerilla fighters drawn from across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, very likely including the concerted efforts of Al Queda and affiliated jihadists.

Western nations are already waist-deep in blood and scorpions in Afghanistan and Iraq. They are not going to risk more coffins coming home from war zones where the enemy is hardly distinguishable from the ones they are supposed to be protecting.

So which blue helmets will go to Sudan? The Russians? The Chinese? The Brasilians? It's not going to happen.

It is good that the tragedy of Sudan will be front and center in the public eye again. It is sad that it will not make a difference.

Tags: Darfur genocide, blue helmets, global day for Darfur, Sudanese intransigence