Feb
16
UN General Assembly Voted To Condemn Syria – Nice Gesture, But Toothless – US Uses Strong Language But It Will Do Nothing – America Still A Superpower?
By Paolo von Schirach
February 16, 2012
WASHINGTON – The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on February 16 in favor of a resolution that condemns Syria’s government violent repression of the ongoing uprising. The vote was 137 to 12, with 17 abstentions. So, the message is clear. The world condemns Syria.
US joins in condemnation
Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the UN issued this statement after the vote:
“Today, the UN General Assembly sent a clear message to the people of Syria: the world is with you. An overwhelming majority of UN member states have backed the plan put forward by the Arab League to end the suffering of Syrians. Bashar al-Assad has never been more isolated. A rapid transition to democracy in Syria has garnered the resounding support of the international community. Change must now come.
This resolution strongly condemns Assad’s 11-month campaign of murder and torture. It demands an end to the killing machine. It demands that the Syrian government release all political prisoners; assure the freedom of peaceful demonstrations; and guarantee full and safe access to Arab League representatives and international media, and to humanitarian aid workers, who seek only to protect a people who have endured unimaginable violence.
The international community has just given its firm support to the Arab League’s plan to facilitate a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, plural political system, “in which citizens are equal regardless of their affiliations or ethnicities or beliefs.” The only question is how many more women, men and children—from demonstrators on Syria’s streets to those taking shelter in homes and hospitals—will suffer or be killed by Assad before that transition begins.
The people of Syria, from Homs and Damascus to Hama and Idlib, from Aleppo to Daraa, should now know that the nations of the world stand with you and support you as you pursue a future of freedom and safety”.
General Assembly vote means little
So, there you have it. The UN condemns. The United States, the world most important power, fully endorses. “Change must now come”. The US Permanent Representative tells the Syrian people “thew world is with you”. Assad has to go, and so on. All very noble and lofty. But what does it mean, in practice? Well, not much.
Talk is cheap
And, quite frankly talk is cheap, including US Government talk, if there is no will to follow up. Which is to say that the strong words used by Ambassador Rice are essentially empty words. We all know this. As symbolically significant as it may be, a General Assembly vote has no teeth. The vote is non binding. There is no enforcement mechanism attached. It may change the atmosphere somewhat. It may send a message to the people in Syria that they are not totally isolated. But that’ s about it. This action has no consequences.
Ambassador Rice, who had previously expressed “disgust” (on behalf of the US Government) when Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council Resolution that would have provided for Assad to step down in Syria, now proclaims that the world is united against the nefarious regime, etc. But she knows that no UN action will follow.
Real issue: will US take action outside of UN system?
And here is the real issue. If the US Government feels that this is all it can do: push for action at the UN, with full knowledge that Russia and China will continue to block any substantive action, then this is a joke that. Worse than that, it exposed American weakness. In a different world, a world in which the US would lead, the US Government would say that, given the Russia-China UN vetoes, America would act on it own, outside of the UN system.
Of course it would be nice to find consensus within this international body and have unanimity on taking military action against Assad. But, since we have seen that this is impossible, as some key Security Council members are determited to block any concrete steps, then America, if it wants to be credible as the super power that leads, should do something.
Obama does not want a new US war a few months before the elections
But my sense is that Washington will do nothing. America may still be the world’s largest power, with the biggest defense budget and all that. But America is exhausted an hesitant. It is absolutely not in the mood to start another conflict in the Middle East. President Obama is not willing to lead. He is running for re-election. Right now things are looking good for him. The US economy is doing better, his approval rating are much higher. The Republicans are really messed up and likely to field a weak opponent. Why introduce a huge element of political uncertainty by doing “the right thing” on Syria?
Let Ambassador Rice express America’s ”disgust” at the Russia-China veto. Let her rejoice after the General Assembly toothless vote of condemnation. Let her express America’ s best wishes to the struggling Syrians and call it a day.
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