Syria Crisis A Global Show of One Nation Bullying Another – US vs Russia, and Vice Versa
The U.S. had decried the world stands to gain no support to curb Syria's alleged use of illegal chemical weapons because Russia had held hostage the 15-nation panel of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Samantha Power, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Thursday said it's of no use to get the support of the UNSC because Russia had consistently prevented the world body from performing its mandate to protect the security and welfare of the Syrian people.
"I was present in the meeting where the UK laid down the resolution and everything in that meeting, in word and in body language, suggests that that resolution has no prospect of being adopted by Russia in particular," Ms Power told news media, following a briefing of Security Council members on U.S. intelligence.
Russia, with China support, has for three times now used its veto power to not only block resolutions submitted before the council which condemn the alleged use of illegal chemical weapons of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government but also impede the supposed necessary sanctions that must be done on Syria.
"Our considered view, after months of efforts on chemical weapons and after two and a half years on Geneva, on the humanitarian situation, is that there is no viable path forward in this Security Council," Ms Power said.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama obtained his first legislative approval from the Senate to launch a military strike on Syria.
Read: Syria Strike Countdown: World War 3 Good as Done? 'We Don't Want to Become Another Iraq,' Silent Red-Stained Hands Protest Goes Viral
However, the world's self-appointed policeman is likely to go into battle alone. Last week, despite it being the one that submitted the draft resolution to fellow UNSC permanent voting members France, U.S., China, and Russia, Britain failed to secure the necessary approval of its legislative chambers.
"What we have learnt is that the Security Council the world needs to deal with this crisis is not the Security Council we have," Ms Power said.
"There have been occasions in the history of Security Council where paralysis has prevented the council from fulfilling its role. In this case the risk is of further use of chemical weapons use."
"Instead, the system has protected the prerogatives of Russia; the patron of a regime that would brazenly stage the world's largest chemical weapons attack in a quarter century, while chemical weapons inspectors sent by the United Nations were just across town," she added.