The hordes of judges, lawyers and bureaucrats of the International Criminal Court sat down at their breakfast tables this morning and discovered via the local news a helpful message from indicted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir: "Eat it!"*"I think he meant the Eggs Benedict," said one lawyer, "which I was thinking of ordering anyway."
"I wasn't even hungry yet," said another ICC official, "but Mr. al-Bashir is right: a healthy breakfast is the most important part of a good day."
And what a day it is, as the ICC will formally issue an arrest warrant for the Sudanese president on charges of war crimes for the ongoing Darfur thingy. A defiant Omar al-Bashir is preparing to dodge the summons, readying the Sudanese military to act against any domestic support for the ICC ruling.
For example, Sudanese officials told Doctors Without Borders operating in Sudan to find a border quickly and cross it.
Refugees and aid groups in Darfur fear a surge in attacks if the ruling is handed down against al-Bashir today. Will the ICC eat its words?
*What al-Bashir really said was "immerse it [the arrest warrant] in water and drink it," which is a common Arabic derision; whereas "eat it" is obviously an idiomatic translation for the benefit of those Westerners who, unlike the Sudanese, are accustomed to having plenty to eat.
[Update: The arrest warrant has just been formally announced.]
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