The 'Obscene' Diplomatic Pirouette Over Syria (Le Temps,
Switzerland)
"The surprise initiative is probably less improvised than
it looks. It is a way for Russians and Americans to escape a situation that for
both, is akin to being caught in a hornet's nest - even if for different
reasons. ... The U.S. is extirpated from an adventurous use of force it didn't
want; Russia is freed of the role of obstructionist, amoral power, at risk of
facing a deployment of enemy missiles; and the rest of the planet is relieved
of the burden of having to take a stand. But do state calculations like these suffice
to erase the fact of Syrian's 100,000 dead and two million refugees?"
The
incredible pirouette performed Monday by Russian diplomacy is very good news.
If it succeeds, Syria will, in the end, no longer possess chemical weapons. The
world would obviously be better off. But the exploit is also an extraordinary
admission of failure. One must be decidedly near drowning to cling so tightly
to a life raft so full of holes that it offers no guarantee of getting you where
you intended to go in the first place.
Posted By
Worldmeets.US
The
surprise initiative is probably less improvised than it looks. It is a way for
Russians and Americans to escape a situation that for both sides, is akin to being
caught in a hornet's nest - even if for different reasons .
The
United States is extirpated from an adventurous use of force it didn't want;
Russia is freed of the role of obstructionist, amoral power, at risk of facing
a deployment of enemy missiles; and the rest of the planet is relieved of the
burden of having to take a stand. But do state calculations like these suffice to
erase the fact of Syrian's 100,000 dead and two million refugees? Are they likely
to prevent the spread of the war to neighboring countries and a proliferation
of extremism? Even confining oneself to the sole framework of chemical warfare,
and in so doing ignoring this "other" war that continues to rage in
Syria, these have to be considered meager results: will the simple threat of seizing
Syria's chemical weapons stockpile deter another state from using its own
poison gas tomorrow?
Admittedly,
diplomacy will replace missiles and the U.N. will find itself at the center of
the action. This much is clear: Russia is back in the game and a dialogue scan resume.
The comings and goings of any inspectors into the field, a fixed calendar that
Damascus will be bound by, and the door to this abominable Syrian door will be
closed. All this may well alter the
dynamics, and who knows, revive some of the diplomatic possibilities, such as Geneva
II.
In
the past , however, the U.N.'s mere presence has not always been a guarantee of
success in Syria or anywhere else. The distinction between chemical weapons and
other "acceptable" arms is consistent with international law. It is
nevertheless obscene in the face of a conflict of such intensity which holds such
danger for the future. If it were to achieve its purpose, the diplomatic pirouette
would be impressive, but will nevertheless remain just that: a pirouette.
