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Rep. Wolf to Kerry: Bring in G.W. Bush to Settle South Sudan
President George W. Bush meets with Salva Kiir, first vice president of the government of national unity of Sudan and president of the government of South Sudan, in the Oval Office on Jan. 5, 2009.
By Amy Woods | Tuesday, 31 December 2013 03:59 PM
Republican Rep. Frank Wolf wants former President George W. Bush to help propel a peaceful ending to the escalating crisis in South Sudan, Fox News reported Tuesday.
In a letter dated Dec. 30 and addressed to Secretary of State John Kerry, Wolf, co-chairman of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, asked him to engage with his former presidential rival and tap into the relationship Bush has with African leaders.
"It's been said that politics stops at the water's edge," Wolf wrote. "While perhaps not always the case, I would hope that this administration, despite its past differences with [the] Bush administration, would recognize the wisdom of inviting former President Bush and key members of his team, who forged lasting relationships with the leadership of South Sudan."
Wolf said in the letter that Kerry should strategize with Bush "to engage in high-level diplomacy with the various actors involved in the current crisis, and to do so with the full support and blessing of the U.S. Department of State and the White House."
The Virginian commended Bush for helping South Sudan pass a law in 2011 that enabled it to transition to a sovereign nation.
Deadly fighting between warring factions started in the middle of December, and the United Nations reports the violence has killed more than 1,000 people and forced another 100,000-plus from their homes.
The United States has troops positioned in nearby Djibouti.
"Indeed, we are at a crisis point and time is of the essence," Wolf wrote. "Old tribal tensions are aflame. Violence, fear, and hunger are the order of the day."
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frank wolf,george bush,john kerry,sudan
Tuesday, 31 December 2013 03:59 PM