Today’s Q’s for George Clooney

President Obama met today with actor George Clooney and John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity,to talk about their recent trip to Sudan.  White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said that in their meeting “President Obama underscored the intensity of the United States’ efforts to ensure that the referendum be held on time and to urge the parties to choose the path of peace over renewed violence.”

President Obama in the meeting expressed continued support for implementing both the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and successfully negotiating post-CPA issues, and he discussed the US’s diplomatic and development surge in the South, “the powerful multilateral signal of support for peace sent by the international community last month at the United Nations General Assembly meeting, and ongoing engagement from senior officials to maintain that international momentum.” The president emphasized international efforts to “ensure a peaceful and timely referendum” but said “ultimate responsibility for Sudan’s future rests with its political leaders.” Afterwards, Clooney and Prendergrast spoke to reporters. TAPPER: George, do you have any concerns about General Gration’s leadership and what do you think will happen in January if violence does break out? Do you think there is the international will to send troops into Sudan? CLOONEY: I don’t think at this point there is any discussion in sending troops into South Sudan.  Right now we have 90 days to do this and it doesn’t cost a dime and it doesn’t cost any lives and no American troops. You know, this is not a right or left issue as you well know, I’ve worked with Sam Brownback before, we’re going to go meet with Senator Lugar in a few minutes, so the truth of the matter, at this moment, there’s an opportunity here to negotiate this. To negotiate a peace treaty is complicated and it’s difficult, and its negotiating with people you don’t necessarily like or you don’t necessarily get along with. This administration seems committed to it, and we have to focus on that right now rather than focusing on the idea of the aftermath. I’d rather, I’d rather us prevent one than focusing on the triage at the end. PRENDERGAST: And one very impressive thing about the meeting that we just had, the President is very focused, very knowledgeable about the details, very in control about the policy. This is a breath of fresh air and we are very, it gives a chance at diplomacy, it gives a chance at peace making that didn’t exist three months ago. So I think the US being in the game and support of the African Union peace process is potentially the game changer that the Sudanese people are looking for. Now they have to follow through. TAPPER: Do you have faith in General Gration’s leadership? CLOONEY: I think that General Gration’s leadership. I think General Gration could use all of our help, as well. You know, remember that this is also the responsibility of the international community; we could use some of the European nations that aren’t as being tough on the government of Khartoum. You know he isn’t spending his money in Sudanese pounds; you know it’s in Euros and other forms. We need to find out where that money is and freeze it.  There’s pressures that we can put on this, on the government we in many ways in the United States have already used up you know, short of military power, and no one’s suggesting that.    -Jake Tapper