UN votes to demand Syria end bloody crackdown

[pampango]

Source: CBC

The United Nations' top human rights body voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to demand that Syria end its bloody crackdown and co-operate with an international probe into possible crimes against humanity. The vote came the same day Syrian security forces killed at least seven people in a flashpoint central city following a visit by a UN humanitarian team, activists said.

In Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council voted 33-4 on Tuesday to condemn the violence by Syrian authorities and to dispatch a human rights team to probe alleged atrocities since March.

The countries voting in favour included all four Arab voting members of the council — Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Russia and China voted against, along with Cuba and Ecuador. The remaining countries on the 47-nation council abstained or were absent. China and Russia said they opposed the measure as unnecessary intervention. Syrian Ambassador Fayssal al-Hamwi called the move "100 per cent political."


A Syrian boy living in Jordan holds the old Syria flag in front of a poster that reads
"Where is the conscience of the world, Where is the Security Council, Where is the
Arab League, Save us from the butcher".

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/08/23/syria-troops-killings.html?ref=rss

[rayofreason]

1. A sternly worded letter should do the trick...

...or not.

Unlike the other Arab uprisings, this one is existential for the Alawite minority that has ruled Syria. They know that either they win this or they will be strung up like mini Mussolinis all over the country. That will put some spine into their murderous efforts.

[OnlinePoker]

2. Libyan military mission will end soon

Time to start bombing the shit out of someone else.