For the benefit of all those who are convinced down to the marrow of their bones that if only the United Nations was put in charge of vanquishing evil in this world, all would be well:

Sudan is an ideal litmus test for this. And the U.N. and the Great Nations of Europe are failing spectacularly.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) said on Wednesday Sudan had made little progress in curbing marauding militias in the Darfur region but diplomats said sanctions against Khartoum were unlikely.

...The 15-month conflict has killed at least 30,000 people, forced villagers into concentration-camp type compounds and left 2 million people without enough food and medicine.

...But Annan said he could not predict how long Sudan would have before the U.N. Security Council took concrete action.

"It's going to be a judgment call rather than an artificial deadline but the urgency is there and the Sudanese government doesn't have forever," he said.

One problem is strong lobbying by the Arab League and others against any kind of sanctions or military intervention. The United States has had difficulty getting a resolution adopted that would threaten a travel and arms ban within a month if Sudan did not comply.

British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, who along with Germany and France, wants an immediate arms embargo on Sudan, said the council was not yet considering sanctions. Diplomats said Russia, China, Pakistan and others were opposed to even a weapons embargo.

Even if any country, like the United States, were willing to send troops to protect civilians and disburse food and medicine, like it did in Somalia in late 1992, the war in Iraq would make approval doubtful.

...So far Sudan has sent 3,000 police to Darfur, allowed in monitors and eased most restrictions on aid groups. But Khartoum is known to have used its planes and helicopters to help the Janjaweed and rights groups fear it is integrating the militia into the police.

Annan said Sudan had been warned not to do that. "It is a 'no-no' for them to induct Janjaweed into the police force."

Quail in fear, tyrants of Sudan! Almighty Kofi Annan has laid down the law!

Of course, we know how it will end up eventually. The U.S. and a few allies providing the money, troops, and blood, and Kofi Annan getting the Nobel Prize.