Secretary of State Powell has offically uttered the word "genocide" in connection with the crisis in Darfur and lays the blame squarely at the feet of the Sudanese government. It came just about a week after the UN deadline for action in stopping the slaughter had passed.

The pressure builds on Sudan but this also means some concrete action is required by the US as a party to the international genocide convention. In my humble and optimistic opinion, this is a bright ray of sunshine on an otherwise dark and horrible tragedy.

On another note, there's one less item on the Kerry talking points memo.