Gadhafi: Int'l troops in Darfur is 'colonialism'

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi said the presence of United Nations troops in Sudan's conflict-ridden Darfur region would be a return to "colonialism" and Sudan's army would do a better job than peacekeepers at stopping the violence. Gadhafi's comments on Sunday came as Khartoum appeared to be moving toward allowing a joint United Nations and African Union force to take over peacekeeping in Darfur from the ill-equipped and understaffed AU force currently deployed. "The presence of international forces in Darfur would be a new return to colonialism... Since when were the colonialist powers concerned about us? In the past, they treated us like animals and took us as slaves in their ships... If there is a need for an army to occupy Darfur, the Sudanese army is better than international forces," Gadhafi said.