G-1 Out-Muscles G-7, at G-8 on Syria (#28)

Recently, Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, had described the G-8 meeting as made up of seven (7) leaders, basically united in their outlook, as the G-7, particularly regarding the situation on Syria, and the outlier being Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, the G-1. Well, the ‘Joint Statement’ released upon the close of the summit in Northern Ireland make it clear that on the crucial issues regarding Syria on the G-8 agenda, the ousting of Syria’s Dictator Basher Al-Assad, arming the rebels, and negotiating a settlement to the civil war through an early ‘Peace Conference’, the strongman of Russia out-muscled the combined might of the other 7 leaders.

As a result, there will be no definitive action taken by the G-8 countries to end the civil war any time soon, and thereby prevent the horrendous ongoing bloodshed and displacement that will continue for millions of civilians in the country.  After a long history of getting involved, too many times, in other countries internal politics and indulging in ideological wars and regime changes, it is unfathomable why periodically western leaders faced with a clear case of preventable gross human suffering and atrocities, suddenly get politically righteous and downright parsimonious in taking desperately needed action (apart from Syria, Rwanda comes to mind).  

This unwholesome outcome will cost the people of Syria heavily in the coming months, as the West will continue to dither, gnash its teeth, wring its hands and continue to propose ineffective ‘diplomatic’ solutions in the face of the two violent, brutal, determined and ruthless warring factions.

As the toll on human misery rises with almost a 100,000 dead, many more injured, and millions displaced from their homes into neighbouring countries, the pressure will mount for the West to do something. As in the past the ‘World Leaders’ will, as usual, be finally forced to act, and belated action will be taken, that could have been implemented much earlier. 

One has to wonder how the will of the G-1 - of the G-8 members - an unabashed and open supporter of Bashar Al-Assad and his authoritarian regime, subdued the collective will of 7 of the World’s most powerful leaders, who were equally open in their opposition and commitment, to oust the incumbent Syrian leadership, prior to the summit. What happened in that meeting where 7 determined World Leaders went in basically united and speaking tough in their stated intention of Syrian regime change, and came out so thoroughly derailed, beaten, and mouthing meaningless banalities about open ended, nonspecific possible peaceful solutions sometime in the future!     

Necessary immediate action that could have saved the further destruction of a country, and the lives of additional tens of thousands of innocent people caught in a power struggle, got postponed indefinitely at the G-8 Summit, once again highlighting the severe shortcomings and impotence of global institutions, World leaders, political agencies etc., to take decisive action to prevent and alleviate human suffering, where political tyranny and open brutality is involved.

Now, by the time the World leaders decide to take meaningful collective action, possibly tens of thousands more innocent people will have lost their lives, and millions more will suffer the indignities of an unnecessarily prolonged civil war. All because one leader, more determined and committed than the others to have his way, imposed his will on the 7 others, who were obviously not so committed and determined as they had made out to be, prior to the summit.

Or was it one? Not present at this summit but very much in the play of course, when it comes to backing the current Syrian regime, fully, against the wishes and intentions of the West, is the emerging global super power: China, and a smaller but significant power nevertheless, in the Middle East: Iran. Maybe, in a closed door crucial meeting on Syria, Vladimir Putin, the G-1, let it be known to the other G-7, that he had the proxy votes and active support of both China and Iran when it came to backing Bashar Al-Assad and his army, with weapons and money, against the contemplated support of arms and financial support of the rebels by the West. And suddenly to the well intentioned western leaders, that fight looked just too problematic, painful and prolonged to undertake, regardless of their open support for the opposition rebels, and their obvious but cost conscious (in terms of political and financial capital) sympathies for the Syrian people.