WASHINGTON — President Bush's decision Tuesday to exert new pressure on Sudan to end the violence in Darfur may have a limited effect because many of the people and businesses he targeted already are getting around existing sanctions, according to experts and business officials.
Bush's measures also exempted some of the biggest players in Sudan's economy, particularly Chinese oil interests and Sudanese firms that supply raw materials that are important to influential U.S. industries. China buys two-thirds of Sudan's oil and is the largest foreign investor in the country's oil industry.
The U.S. moves largely targeted small companies engaged in the business of oil, minerals and agriculture. Bush administration officials said putting sanctions on the larger firms would be "extreme" or even "militant."
Nonetheless, administration officials said they hoped the announcement would "send a message" to the Sudanese government and said they would look at other options if the steps outlined Tuesday did not succeed.
*
Conflicting currents
Bush has spoken out repeatedly about conditions in the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur, but has been caught by conflicting diplomatic and political currents.
The president and other administration officials frequently have termed the killings in Darfur a "genocide." And in the United States, Bush has felt pressure from evangelical Christians, many allied with conservative Republicans, and from some liberal Democrats to take stronger action against Sudan. But China, which has been increasing its oil purchases from Sudan and elsewhere in Africa, has fought tougher measures at the United Nations.
In his announcement, Bush added 30 companies owned or controlled by the Sudanese government to the list of those barred from the U.S. financial system. The step in effect freezes any money they have in U.S. banks and blocks transfers of funds through U.S. institutions.
Bush sharply criticized President Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir of Sudan and said the United States would seek to isolate two Sudanese government officials and a rebel leader because of their roles in the continuing violence. He also asked the State Department to work on a toughened U.N. Security Council resolution intended to put new pressure on Sudan and ban military flights.
"The people of Darfur are crying out for help, and they deserve it," Bush said.
