8:29PM
Kicking off the A-to-Z rule set on processing politically bankrupt states
Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 8:29PM
UK and France led the way, US votes yes, and rest of non-Western great powers all abstain {correction: Germany abstained, Russia voted yes}.
Still, you take it. Let's hope it's not too late and Obama pulls out a win here.
A reminder of how I've described the ideal A-to-Z process, from Blueprint (lifting from the glossary page on this site):
UN Security Council indicts G-20, acting as functioning executive, unleashes the Leviathan and finances reconstruction Leviathan intervenes SysAdmin stabilizes and begins nation-building International Reconstruction Fund oversees rebuild International Criminal Court adjudicates identified war criminals
I know, I know. We were never going to do this - ever again! But the point was always that we didn't need to do it alone, and if Obama's intransigence or strategic patience or whatever got it done right this time, then I eat my criticism of him, because the larger good here is worth pursuing. That's why Russia and China abstained.
Reader Comments (4)
Russia voted yes. Germany abstained.
I give Obama some credit for getting the resolution through. Obviously this is way late. I hope it turns out well. Had we acted in the beginning the no fly zone probably would have tipped the advantage in the rebels favor and we may never have had to fire a shot.
As you said in your PNM presentation (I believe) "no one will even fly against us anymore." If Libya knew we were coming earlier they probably would have just hid their planes. Now they are emboldened, we'll see what happens.
I think it's interesting the way things went. Obama sort of stepped back and didn't get involved, thus forcing the hand of the Arab world, the UK and France. They wanted action, but Obama wasn't going to go, "Sure, we'll do it all." If this works, it'll be major points for his camp, I think.
One of the things you have to admire is the complete lack of "imminent threat" nonsense. If we demand that from our leaders we're just demanding Bush style patriotic frenzies. Political bankruptcies can be processed without pretending like every no-fly = WWII.
The really interesting question is what did Russia and China get for their abstention? The rebels are now being armed via Egypt, I wonder if all the arms will be stamped "made in Russia"? For China, I wonder if there's an implicit agreement that Sinopec gets in on the rebuilding efforts?