Russia, China Veto Syria Sanctions

In other words, Russia and China continue to behave as Russia and China:

Russia and China vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have threatened sanctions against the Syrian leadership, which is under assault by armed rebels in the streets of the capital Damascus.

It was the third time Russia and China have vetoed Security Council resolutions that aimed to pressure the government to leave power. This last failure at diplomacy once again highlighted the growing realization that Syria’s fate would be decided by bloody clashes in the streets of the capital, and not the halls of the U.N.

The British-drafted resolution, co-sponsored by the U.S., France and Germany, would have given the government 10 days to withdraw its troops and heavy weapons from populated areas or face sanctions targeted at the regime’s elite. Though not specified in the resolution, the threatened sanctions would have included asset freezes and international travel restrictions on senior Syrian officials.

The US, UK, France and Germany on one side, the Russians and Chinese on the other, with sparks flying in the Mid East tinderbox. The Western powers are led by an inexperienced ideologue who, at least in economic terms, cannot add two and two and who needs to change the subject from the moribund US economy. The Eastern powers are led by a hardened KGB spy and an oligarchy of ruthless Communists.

This will end well.