swagandpassion asks: Hey SFB. Are there fundamental differences with Libya and Syria as far as Western powers intervening? Logistically I can assume Europe had more interest in a stable Libya & Obama leading behind scenes, but is intervention not a good idea for Syria?
Scott had a really long answer to this, so we’re gonna jump it, so we don’t just give you a long block of text. Here’s the tl;dr version: The biggest challenge raised is from Russia and China, and it’s making it difficult for western forces to get involved.
Anyway, click on to read. — Ernie @ SFB
A senior Russian official says that Moscow will not sign new weapons contracts with Syria until the situation there calms down.
Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, deputy chief of the Russian military and technical cooperation agency, told Russian news agencies on the sidelines of the Farnborough airshow south-west of London that Russia will continue, however, with previously agreed exports.
He said that so far Russia has been providing Syria’s army with spare parts and assistance in repairs of the weapons supplied earlier.
To give yourself an idea of what the heavy weaponry in Syria looks like, watch this video. In related news, a Syrian opposition group now says the death toll in the region has reached 17,000 — up from an earlier count of 14,000.
We should increase pressure on Russia to cease selling arms to the Syrian government and to end its obstruction at the United Nations. And we should work with partners to arm the opposition so they can defend themselves.Mitt Romney • In a statement released on Tuesday, attacking the Obama Administration for what he called a “policy of paralysis that has watched Assad slaughter 10,000 individuals.” With nations around the globe expelling Syrian diplomats, following a recent massacre by the Assad regime in Houla, Romney has renewed calls for U.S. military action in Syria. White House press secretary Jay Carney pushed back against Romney’s attacks, saying the administration believes that further militarizing the Syrian rebels would only lead to more “chaos and carnage.” source (via • follow)
The Western draft Security Council resolution on Syria does not lead to a search for compromise. Pushing this resolution is a path to civil war.Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov • Criticizing a draft United Nations resolution which would ask Bashar al-Assad to step aside in Syria. Gatilov suggests the resolution would lead to military conflict in Syria — much like a similar resolution did in Libya. Russia, Syria’s largest ally in the current climate, has been the sticking point for the United Nations in handling the situation in Syria: Previously, they vetoed a UN Security Council attempt to condemn the crackdown in October, and they’ll likely veto the latest resolution. source (via • follow)
UN action on Syria blocked by Russia, China: It was just over a month ago that Syria claimed to accept a deal with the Arab League to halt attacks and killings of citizens (and allow free media observers into the country), before flaunting their violation of the deal the next day by killing eleven people. They’ve since talked about another deal with the League, similar to the terms of the last one, but it’s rather impossible to take that seriously at this point. Many UN states would like to recommend Syria to the International Criminal Court in the Hague for crimes against humanity, but Security Council members China and Russia refuse to issue any condemnation of the Assad government — Russia, further, has referred to western criticism of their defense of Syria as “immoral.” source
Copyright 2009-2013 Ernie Smith • Ask us stuff! • E-mail us • Follow us on Twitter • Follow us on Facebook
