A very interesting map produced by the State Department. The map visually makes the same case that we have long argued: most of Africa’s major conflicts span more than a single border, requiring a more comprehensive diplomatic approach if we hope to solve genocide and war crimes on the continent. In too many regions of Africa, states continue to sponsor proxy militias as a means to undercut their neighbors, fueling a terrible cycle of violence and reprisals. It is no accident that most of the areas where crimes against humanity are most intense are in border areas. This includes the lawless stretch of eastern Congo and the spillover tensions that stretch into Rwanda, northern Uganda, and southern Sudan. The blot of conflict across eastern Chad, Darfur in western Sudan, and the northern half of the Central African Republic is also of note, as is the dangerously eroding situation in Somalia. For what we think would be a practical diplomatic approach for the new Obama Administration to resolve the complex situation in Sudan and its regional dimensions, visit here.