Analysis of the genocides that took place in Rwanda and the Sudanese region of Darfur presents some similarities as well as differences. The character of the violence was similar in both cases, but in Rwanda the violence was more intense, participatory and extraordinary. The violence in these two places took place in an environment that had experienced civil wars. It was a period of political transition that was further compounded by ethnic nationalism and conflict of ethnic populations living in close proximity. However, during the Rwandan genocide, the state was more centralized, more compact and more efficient. This explains the intensity and variation. The international response to these genocides through observers has emphasized the use of the genocide label to create national constituencies, particularly in the case of Rwanda. The case of Darfur, however, revealed that these two strategies are not effective. In response to the genocide in Darfur, U.S. officials have declared that the genocide is underway. Subsequently, a civil society political coalition emerged to pressure the administration. The net result of these two scenarios, however, was the same in the absence of effective policies that could end the genocide. The Rwandan genocide has always served as a reference point for similar genocides taking place around the world. Since the Darfur crisis in 2003, many comparisons have been made with the Rwandan genocide. Observers have compared the Darfur genocide to what happened in Rwanda and of course given it two connotations. First, the violence in the western regions of Sudan was referred to another Rwanda, basing its arguments on the nature of the violence. Since everything that is happening in Darfur is similar to...... middle of paper ... different since the United States has been guided by a realistic approach of not extending humanitarian aid beyond its borders. Works Cited Kupperman, Alan. Genocide: the cases of Rwanda and Sudan. (2007) Retrieved from http://www.fpri.org/footnotes/1215.200705.kuperman.genociderwandasudan.html Lim, Timothy. Analyzing foreign policy: duties beyond borders? (2000) Retrieved from http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/tclim/F09_Courses/425f09_duties.pdf Merlinen, Michael. European security and defense policy: an implementation perspective, (2008). New York: Routledge Publishers. Shapiro, Alan. Genocide in Darfur, Inaction at the Security Council Retrieved from http://www.teachablemoment.org/high/darfur.htmlStraus, Scott. Rwanda and Darfur: a comparative analysis. Retrieved from http://www.chgs.umn.edu/histories/occasional/StrausGSP2006.pdf