Major Powers Cop Out on Syria

I am looking at what is going on in Syria, with the government there treating its people so badly. And then I look at how supposedly responsible nations like Russian and China, who want to be seen as major players in running the world besides the United States, play the weak Neville Chamberlain role of appeaser with tyrant Assad as he commits mass murder against his own people. Not only won't they do anything positive in this ongoing tragedy, but with their vetoes of the United Nations Security Council resolution calling for the Syrian dictator to step down they want to make it once again an issue as to whether the United States and NATO will intervene, this time on behalf of the beleaguered Syrian people.

Russian and China, of course, have their own ongoing problems with popular uprisings and protests. Vladimir Putin apparently sees himself as political heir to Stalin and wants to stay perpetually in power while squelching dissent. Meanwhile, China's ruling clique is very mindful (and fearful) of the mass pro-democracy movements spreading throughout the world.

Now it is once again a matter of whether or not the U.S. and/or Western Europe will help, just as it was in Bosnia and Kosovo in the nineties and in Libya last year. This is really getting to be tedious to witness...