Here on PopEater, we're prone to escaping the temptation to take life too seriously.

But we can't help noticing that George Clooney is taking certain world events very seriously. And rightfully so.

In an Op-Ed in today's Washington Post, Clooney and activist John Pendergast call a region in Sudan "about the size of Connecticut" a potential flashpoint for war. Explaining the strife about to boil over, the co-writers describe their "fact-finding mission" visiting with locals, including children (see photos here). Clooney believes U.S. diplomacy must ensure that a January election in Sudan won't spark a new wave of widespread violence in a diputed oil-rich region.

The Oscar winner, well-versed in the Darfur genocide tragedy as co-founder of Not on Our Watch, took to NBC's 'Today' show recently to discuss the crisis.

And his mission also took Clooney to D.C., where he met with President Obama last week "and found him in command of the facts and seized with the urgency of the moment." It's our government's chance to save lives, and avoid spending billions of tax dollars in "a humanitarian clean-up operation down the road," according to the editorial.