Libya air strikes

[Calmday]

Interesting. US, UK and France have conducted air strikes on Libya. Russia and China are opposing it.

This is what confuses me because they both (Russia and China) have veto power on the UN security council. If either of them really opposed military action they would have vetoed it.

[Ratpick_2000]

They abstained - i.e. parked themselves on the fence

[Calmday]

They abstained - i.e. parked themselves on the fence

Ya I know but if they really opposed it they would have vetoed it.
I think that this is just political posturing. They just want to sit it out and see what the popular or beneficial move will be.

[ksl]

Interesting. US, UK and France have conducted air strikes on Libya. Russia and China are opposing it.

This is what confuses me because they both (Russia and China) have veto power on the UN security council. If either of them really opposed military action they would have vetoed it.

There is a slight reason why they do not veto, when it comes to choice of radicals V's moderates in power. Russia & China have their own problems with far left groups and most of the groups around the world collaborate and share information to reach their goals, so I don't think it is unusual if they can utilise others to step in and counter the problem. Russia & China also supply weapons to many of the radicle countries involved too, so it would also be bad for business both ways. So better to stay neutral.

[aster]

I also think they abstained because military action would have happened anyway.

Russia is putting on a bad face though they desperately *want* military intervention to take place.

And China probably doesn't want to be seen as being supportive of a dictator about to launch a siege on a city, and as mentioned above does not want to get relegated to the role of an insignificant member of the Security Council whose veto did not stop the rightful course of action from taking place.

[ksl]

I also think they abstained because military action would have happened anyway.

Russia is putting on a bad face though they desperately *want* military intervention to take place.

And China probably doesn't want to be seen as being supportive of a dictator about to launch a siege on a city, and as mentioned above does not want to get relegated to the role of an insignificant member of the Security Council whose veto did not stop the rightful course of action from taking place.

Of course I believe the conspiracy has always been there, that is what counter insurgency measures are all about Libya is a large prize for the taking for both sides, one by one, it will be an effort to get moderates in power.

This is not only about al qaeda but also a degree of socialist rules, tribal power, against moderates, the holy warriors are mostly raised on socialist theories, though the tribes are quite split and opinionated.

[JR8]

Russia and China, as tyrannical dictatorships are hardly in a position to start posturing against another country on the basis that it is a tyrannical dictatorship.

[ksl]

Russia and China, as tyrannical dictatorships are hardly in a position to start posturing against another country on the basis that it is a tyrannical dictatorship.

Exactly they both have their own interpretation of communism too, funnily enough they are making headway on market economies, but still rule with Iron fists, a little like the mafia in a way Give me the meat and you can have the bone philosphy, though what strikes me is that western governments are much the same, when it comes to screwing the lower ranks, we are never happy just pacified, with NHS which appears to degrade society to another level to supplement their standard of living. Time all the NHS stopped and everything restructured to benefit those that work for it!

[nakatago]

Why the US intervened this time but not in Bahrain: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-march-21-2011/america-s-freedom-packages