The Folly of Sudan and South Sudan When South Sudan declared independence from Sudan one year ago, it was well understood that the struggle to build a functioning new state would be long and hard. What was not understood was how much both countries would do to sabotage each other - and themselves - in a destructive game of cross-border attacks and economic showdowns. With independence, South Sudan inherited most of the former country's oil fields. But South Sudan is landlocked and Sudan controls the pipeline needed to get that oil - the lifeblood for both governments - to market. In January, South Sudan shut down oil production in a dispute with Sudan over how much it should pay to transport its crude oil through Sudan's pipeline. In the months since, the two countries still have not agreed on a formula to share oil profits and each seems to be waiting for the other to blink - a fool's game if there ever was one. South Sudan's economy was weak to begin with, and Sudan's is now in free fall. Hunger is getting worse in both places, and so is political instability. Deprived of oil income, Sudan last month announced that it could no longer subsidize gas, sending prices for fuel and other goods soaring. President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is having trouble paying his army. And over the past few weeks, thousands of protesters have demonstrated against the government, prompting a crackdown. In South Sudan, the government has begun to get tougher about collecting income taxes to finance basic services. People are understandably reluctant to pay when the government is known for rampant mismanagement and corruption. President Salva Kiir recently urged officials to return $4 billion in "stolen" government money. Officials also suggested that any budget shortfall would be filled by international donors. So far, that doesn't seem to be happening, and shouldn't. South Sudan, along with Sudan, created this crisis, and they have the means to fix it. The two sides fought a civil war that killed more than two million people before a peace deal in 2005. In the past year, they barely avoided a return to all-out conflict. Violence continues in Darfur and in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, a rebel-held area where the Khartoum government is trying to bomb and starve the people into submission. Thousands have been displaced. In April, South Sudan's army occupied an oil-producing region claimed by Sudan and brought the countries close to a new war. South Sudan backed off after the United Nations threatened sanctions. The joy that accompanied South Sudan's hard-won freedom has faded. The United States and other countries that advocated independence need to keep working with both sides to resolve disputes over oil, borders and protections for minorities. There's no changing the reality that these two nations are mutually dependent, now and long into the future.