Dissenting Opinions

"China is an incredibly important economic superpower. It's increasingly a political superpower as well. So we're going to have a lot of wide-ranging discussions, good honest dialogue in the Canadian tradition which we think is incredibly important." Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird

And this is a man who feels that Russia and China's veto decision in the United Nations of the Arab League-led resolution against Syria's ongoing attacks against the regime's growing protest movement is nothing less than deplorable. Representing a government which feels that profoundly, and is prepared to convey that impression. And Canada has plenty of company with that assessment.

"Unfortunately, yesterday in the UN, the Cold War logic continues. Russia and China did not vote based on the existing realities but more a reflexive attitude against the West." Now, that's telling, coming from a former ally of Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Turkey has been hosting Syria's chief protest organizers. And giving sanctuary to the floods of Syrian refugees streaming across the border.

Thirteen members of the Security Council voted with the resolution, meant to "fully support" the Arab League plan that would have Bashar al-Assad stop assaulting, torturing, murdering his own people. And take steps to relax the rule of tyranny. The veto by China and Russia was characterized by U.S. Secretary of State Clinton as a "travesty".

Following the vote the Assad regime stepped up the bombardments and succeeded in killing an estimated additional 200 Syrians. "Any further bloodshed that flows will be on their hands", said Susan Rice, Washington's UN ambassador. Well, as it happens, China and Russia do not appear to be too exercised about having 'blood on their hands'. They're only protecting their interests.

Russia's naval base in the Middle East and its financially rewarding arms sales to Syria play no little part in Russia insisting that the wording of any resolution must place equal blame and responsibility for what has occurred and is ongoing, on both the revolutionaries and the regime. And insists too that no efforts be made to remove Syria's president.

So, in actual fact, there should be no surprise about all of this. The sanctions that the United Nations has attempted to impose on Iran with respect to its development of nuclear weapons has similarly been stalled by both Russia and China. Who insist that anything that attempts to accomplish regime change is out of bounds.

Understandably; China is undergoing its own problems in protests against Beijing with towns resisting their local Communist party's illegal take-overs of traditional lands, and defying authority in the process, which China does not wish to encourage by siding with regime change in other countries.

And Vladimir Putin is facing an enormous challenge to his plans to remain in power, exchanging positions with Dmitri Medvedev in their game of musical chairs.

China's Premier Wen Jiabao warned Iran "China adamantly opposes Iran developing and possessing nuclear weapons", and it has slightly cut back its oil imports, but it remains highly dependent on Iran for its energy needs, and balances a tightrope act precariously.

Russia and China, in concert, remain adamant about non-interference in the domestic concerns of other countries.

Hoping that their discretionary choices will reflect in a nicely balanced way on their own countries' fortunes, leaving them to their own devices to conduct themselves as they will without fear of outside interference. And doing business with whom they will.

In actual fact, it's overtime that the Arab League took action themselves within their own sphere of influence. Of all parts of the world, it's the Arab Middle East that has been aggrieved over the interference of the West in the affairs of the Arab world. It's past time that the Arab League itself accepted the responsibility of working out problems that affect it so profoundly.

They're understandably conflicted, not wanting to attack another Arab country, not wanting the West to do the same, but at the same time counting on them to do just that. But it's time that intervention be undertaken from the sources most closely affected.

And little time to lose about it. A new era in joint responsibility might ensue in a traditionally fractious part of the world.