The Nihilistic War In Sudan

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Anne Applebaum argues that Sudan is a vivid example of the collapse of the liberal international order: a brutal civil war fueled by foreign arms, mercenary interests, and the retreat of credible global institutions and aid. She links this breakdown to Ukraine, warning that U.S. policy shifts and weakening sanctions are effectively easing pressure on authoritarian aggressors.

Main Topics: Sudan as a case study in the end of the liberal world order (Priority: 5/5): Applebaum explains that she traveled to Sudan to see what the withdrawal of the U.S. and international institutions looks like for people outside Europe and America, especially in a country once heavily engaged by American diplomacy and civil society. The Sudanese civil war: power, territory, and predation (Priority: 5/5): She describes the war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces as a nihilistic struggle for control of territory, gold mines, trade routes, and power, marked by ethnic cleansing, theft, rape, and indiscriminate violence against civilians. Humanitarian collapse and grassroots resilience (Priority: 4/5): The interview highlights mass displacement, starvation risk, disease, and the near-absence of international aid in many areas, while also noting the Emergency Response Rooms and volunteer mutual-aid networks that provide food, medicine, and coordination. The failure of international institutions and foreign aid (Priority: 5/5): Applebaum argues that the UN, Security Council, and aid systems are increasingly ineffective due to geopolitical dysfunction, the weakening of U.S. commitment, and the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID and related logistics. Regional and global powers prolonging the conflict (Priority: 4/5): She says middle powers such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Iran, and Russia are pursuing competing interests in Sudan, supplying weapons or backing factions rather than helping end the war. Ukraine, sanctions, and U.S. retrenchment (Priority: 4/5): Applebaum connects Sudan to Ukraine by arguing that the U.S. has quietly reduced pressure on Russia, weakened sanctions enforcement, and undermined the credibility needed to help Ukraine prevail.

Key Arguments: Sudan’s war is not primarily ideological; it is a transactional contest for territory, resources, and influence. The collapse of international aid and diplomacy leaves civilians abandoned and makes famine and disease far worse. USAID was not just funding aid; it also supplied the logistics, tracking, and distribution systems that kept relief functioning. The UN’s effectiveness has been eroded by U.S. policy failures, Russia’s rule-breaking, and China’s preference for sovereignty language over human rights. Regional powers and Russia are keeping Sudan’s conflict alive by backing different sides for strategic or commercial gain. Ukraine can still win, but only if the U.S. and allies demonstrate consistent, long-term support and stop zigzagging. Sanctions must be actively maintained and updated; otherwise, Russia can rebuild war capacity and continue attacks. The broader global trend is away from rules and institutions and toward nihilism, violence, and impunity.

Data Points: People displaced in Sudan: 14 million - Applebaum cites this as the scale of displacement caused by the war. International aid share previously handled by USAID: About 40% - She says USAID accounted for roughly 40% of all international aid and much of its logistics. War start year: 2023 - The civil war between the Sudanese Army and the RSF erupted in 2023. Time under rain of bombardment/war context: More than 3 years - Referenced in relation to Russia’s war on Ukraine, from February 2022 onward. Trip count to Sudan: 2 - Applebaum made two separate trips, entering from the east and west to observe both sides. Temperature at camp visit: 100 degrees - She describes visiting a refugee school-camp in extreme heat. U.S. election effect described: Second election of Donald Trump - Applebaum says this solidified her view that U.S. withdrawal from international institutions was now certain. Paper/book release timing: Paperbook out later this month - Her recent book Autocracy Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World is coming out in paperback.

Pivotal Quotes: "This is what the end of the liberal world order looks like." — Ann Applebaum: Title and core thesis of her Atlantic cover story on Sudan. "It’s really what the world looks like when everybody is nihilistic, when everybody is out for themselves and everybody is simply trying to conquer territory or steal or take money." — Ann Applebaum: Her explanation of the war’s underlying logic in Sudan. "As old rules and norms fall away, they are not replaced by a new structure. They are replaced by nothing." — Ann Applebaum: Final line of the quoted ending of her article, connecting Sudan to broader global disorder.

Implications: The interview warns that retreat from diplomacy, aid, and sanctions enforcement can accelerate war, famine, and state collapse. Sudan is presented as an early warning for other fragile regions and for the future of the global order.