Panel asks Obama to stress genocide prevention

[babylonsister]

Panel asks Obama to stress genocide prevention

Panel says Obama should upgrade US policies to identify, prevent potential genocide

WILLIAM C. MANN
AP News

Dec 08, 2008 07:34 EST


President-elect Barack Obama should make preventing genocide and mass atrocities a priority for his government and establish a procedure to determine when the threat of genocide is emerging, a task force led by former Cabinet officials recommended Monday.

The objective always should be to stop the buildup before killing begins, their report said, but Obama and his successors should not shirk from using military force, with or without allies, when necessary.

"We urge America's 44th president to demonstrate at the outset that preventing genocide and mass atrocities is a national priority," said the report, titled "Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers." "Achieving this goal will require the president to muster political will that has too often been lacking in the past."

It said genocide's consequences go far beyond the turmoil in which it occurs. For one thing, refugees are created who must be cared for.

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