U.S. opposes Sudan plan to send troops to Darfur

The United States on Tuesday strongly criticized Sudan's plan to send more of its own troops into Darfur and said a "credible and legitimate" U.N. force was needed to stop the carnage, Reuters reported Aug 22, 2006 (via ST). Excerpt:

State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said the United States was very concerned about the plan and urged Sudan's government to allow a U.N. force into Darfur without delay to stop what the United States say is genocide.

"Only a large, mobile, fast-reacting and robust (U.N.) force is capable of confronting the military challenges that exist in Darfur," Gallegos told Reuters.

"This credible and legitimate U.N. force, with African forces forming its core, should include Africans in key leadership positions," he said.

Gallegos said the goal of a U.N. force would be to help those displaced by the conflict and to stop increasing attacks on humanitarian workers as well as get life-saving humanitarian aid to those who needed it most.

"The Sudanese government must do its part to enable this transition to move forward immediately," he said.

Why don't the Government of Sudan order its forces (if as it says it has control over its forces) to act as if it has the mandate of African Union peacekeepers in Darfur?