I have been watching with increasing despair the situation in Sudan. The world isn't completely silent. But it isn't very loud.

However, what would you have the world do?

Neither Dagalo nor al-Burhan have shown much interest in (1) a ceasefire or (2) resolving issues via dialog or (3) being swayed substantially by any foreign power. Aside from them, there is no source of power in Sudan to compel a resolution, even if the sympathies of the Sudanese people are overwhelmingly with neither of them.

The African Union's Peace and Security Council isn't recommending that other states get involved. Indeed, its policy seems to be that everyone else around the world should keep out (including them). IGAD isn't accomplishing much either. The United Nations doesn't have the military power to confront Dagalo or al-Burhan directly, and aren’t they and their followers the core of the problem?

The chance to avert the genocide in Rwanda wasn't lost because of a lack of humanitarian aid. It was lost due to a lack of military intervention. (This is not to say that Sudan should not receive humanitarian aid! Of course it should: with millions of refugees, aid is essential to prevent even more suffering and death. But aid can't on its own end the conflict.)

And yet the world's track record with military interventions is shockingly poor.

So what is are you asking of the world? If we screamed instead of whispered, how would it make a difference? What should we say? Shall we just grieve, as I do? But I don't just want to grieve. I would rather help.