EDITORIAL L.A. OUT OF DARFUR THIS TIME, CITY POLS ARE RIGHT TO MEDDLE IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

THE Los Angeles City Council has a history of passing meaningless resolutions about issues it has no control over, such as the war in Iraq. But last week's decision to take a stand against genocide in Darfur, Sudan, is an exception to the trend. In this case, city government actually does have some jurisdiction -- as well as an obligation -- to act.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the council have announced that the city's pension fund will divest the approximately $27 million currently invested in companies that do business with or in Sudan.

While the city's divestiture will likely make little difference by itself, it's significant in a collective sense. As more and more companies and countries break ties with the war-torn country, that will surely influence how the war plays out. Financial divestiture does work: just look at how it helped end apartheid in South Africa.

This time L.A.'s meddling in international affairs actually serves a purpose, and a worthy one at that.