The recent turmoil in Chad is significant not only to the Central African nation but also to the surrounding region, including the long-tormented Darfur area of Sudan.

A group of armed tribal elements made a nearly successful effort to overthrow the government of President Idriss Deby in the past week. Government forces and tribal militia supporting Mr. Deby, backed up by a French military presence, have driven the rebels off the capital, Ndjamena, for the moment.

Mr. Deby came to power by the same means in 1990, defeating government and tribal forces who backed his predecessor. There is also no reason to believe that any successor to Mr. Deby would govern Chad better or worse than he has.

The most important development during Mr. Deby's 18 years in power was the beginning of the exploitation of Chad's petroleum. This was achieved through construction of a pipeline from the landlocked country to the sea. An agreement was put together by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Chadian government and various oil companies, including Exxon Mobil and Chevron, to assure that some of the oil revenue benefited the people of the country, rather than fuel the overseas bank accounts of Mr. Deby and his colleagues. His government "amended" (broke) the agreement soon after the oil started flowing.

The worst aspect of the current fighting is its impact not only on Chad's already miserable population, but also on displaced peoples from conflicts nearby, including Sudan and the Central African Republic. The term "Darfur" is an emblem for them.

The world continues to be unable to mount a credible peacemaking or peacekeeping force to deal with the problems of the troubled area. That is shameful; at the same time it is clear that, for the United States at least, Iraq and Afghanistan are much higher priorities than Chad or Darfur.