Lavrov says Russia wants two amendments to the resolution. He said the measure should treat anti- and pro-government forces more equally rather than appear to be taking sides in a civil war. And he said the resolution should close the door on any possibility of foreign intervention in the conflict....
I especially thought closing the door on a foreign intervention was interesting. I mean you've got to be joking to believe China and Russia will consent to another occupation of powers. I believe Russia still has a naval base in Syria.
Not only that, but, Israel and Iran are throwing stones at each other. And that is another thing. The USA and Israel have postponed military exercises because of the tensions with Iran and the Homuz mess. Then to prove to Iran that Israel is the Top Gun it openly threatens an attack in the Spring. Spring. Hm. Like "Arab Spring." Just playing with words.
And then there is that whole "Star Wars" incident, so there are many, many reasons why Russia and China vetoed any UN resolution about Syria. The two objections seemed reasonable actually.
Russia was already involved in Civil Wars with Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia so probably know something about stabilizing the region when no one else does. Russia had every right to step in with the Georgia disaster, too. Georgia was killing people in ethnic violence. The facts are on this blog. The Russia peacekeepers ran into frank assassination of people in those areas.
It is interesting to see China and Russia stand together on this one. They have that 2000 Friendship Pact, you know.
...The unadopted draft "fully supports" the January 22 Arab League decision "to facilitate a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, plural political system ... including through commencing a serious political dialogue between the Syrian government and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition."
The Arab League plan contains demands that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down to pave the way for a new national unity government and national elections in the Middle East country.
Russia and China have voiced their strong opposition to forced regime change in Syria.
Russia warned some countries against meddling in the internal affairs of Syria, saying that the international community should prevent a replay of the Libya model, in which NATO military action help topple the regime of Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi....
It would seem as though China also believes the unrest within the Middle East is worrisome and opt for dictatorships over democracy. I suppose they have something in common with Glen Beck.
Libyan militia accused of torturing to death ambassador to France (click here)
One of Libya's many new militias has been accused of detaining and apparently torturing to death a former ambassador to France, the latest allegation of brutality to mar the victorious revolutionaries' reputation since the fall of Col Muammar Gaddafi....
It would seem as though there is still some blood lust in Libya after killing Gaddafi. That maybe a focus of China, but, I think the USA elections in November has some wondering what new Neocon will have a chance at destroying any control in the Middle East at all. I really think that has a lot to do with it. Seriously. I mean, another George Bush? That at least as far as Russia is concerned. Then there is always this 'exportation' of hostilities between Russia, China and the USA to other nations. Allowing an escalation of presence of the USA in the region is sincerely worrisome. It should be worrisome to Americans as well, at least the Libya resolution didn't allow for OCCUPATION.
So, what then about the violence in Syria? TRIPOLI, Lebanon (AP) — Abu Hamza was in a crowd of thousands (click here) in the Syrian border town of Qusair, shouting for President Bashar Assad to leave power, when a sniper's bullet tore through his leg and shattered the bone into 18 pieces.
Another bullet pierced his back as he tried to crawl away. A friend rushed into the street to try to drag him away but was also hit in the shoulder. Abu Hamza lay in the street for two hours until it was dark. Finally a man ran out, pulled him to a safer area, then himself fell dead, shot in the head.
Friends smuggled Abu Hamza immediately across the border into Lebanon. Now nearly two months later he is recuperating in a clinic set up by Syrian exiles in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli....
Arm the resistance? Sounds reasonable to me. The roof top assassins of Libya were brought under control. At least give the Syrians half a chance. If Russia and China want to have both sides of the conflict recognized, I don't see any harm in actually making the conflict equal.
And if the Glen Beck's of the world want to cower in the corner regarding the end of a vicious dictator willing to pick off his own citizens then they don't understand democracy and human rights, nor do they care to. I thought cowering was out of the question in the USA, evidently not in some corners of the political realm.It is worrisome that Lebanon will be receiving violence if Assad so decides he can export his anger and again transpose his authority elsewhere, so to secure the borders of Lebanon is not unreasonable.
I am sure the protesters would like to be doing more than shouting at Assad anyway. I think Russia is correct. The major powers do not need to be involved so much as empowering the people now being assassinated to stop Assad. Arming the resistance is a measure that can be reversed and controlled by any major military in the world. It is a reasonable decision. It stands with morality while controlling any escalation.
So, the USA needs to stop saying Russia and China are the 'bad guys' in all this. I really don't believe they are. The Syrians need their own 'equity' not surrender.
And in Myanmar, they may not see the movie about Suu Kyi, but, the politics is flourishing. Who needs a superstar in an unfair political advantage in a movie theater after all?
88 Gen backs reformers, Daw Suu Kyi (click here)
January 30 - February 5, 2012
LEADERS of the 88 Generation student movement say they want to work “hand-in-hand” with reformers across the political spectrum and also support the role of Daw Aung Suu Kyi.
Min Ko Naing, a prominent student leader who was released from prison on January 13 under an amnesty, said at a press conference in Yangon on January 21 that the group was mostly optimistic about the country’s political future.
“I want to clearly inform that we (88 generation students) would pull the rope (stand) on the side of reformers,” said Min Ko Naing.
“I am not as pessimistic to say that it the glass is half empty, while I don’t want to be over optimistic and say it is half full. We are more like fish that need water for our survival,” the veteran activist said.
“We will clearly support those who want to build justice, freedom and equality in the battle against those who want to destroy these three things,” he said....
