Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Once Bitten, Never Again

The air strikes in Libya continue to have wide ramifications far beyond the fighting in Libya. Amid a crackdown in Syria by the ruling Assad regime on protestors, Western countries tabled a UN Security Council resolution threatening action against Syria.

As expected, Russia and China vetoed the resolution.

The resolution on Libya calls only for a no-fly zone but NATO used “the protection of civilians” small-print and launched air-strikes against Libyan forces. It was an incredible overstep of the Libyan resolution which changed the course of a civil war that is still ongoing.

Worse for countries like Russia, China, India and Brazil, all the oil deals they signed with the previous government are now up in the air as no one is actually sure who is in charge in Libya right now. As they say; once bitten, twice shy. No way is any resolution on Syria is going to pass the Security Council.

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