LETTER TO THE EDITOR

By Poka Laenui Reprint | | Print |

HAWAII, Sep 12 2014 (IPS) - Thank you very much for your analysis on the U.S., Security Council and invasion of Syria.

https://www.ipsnews.net/2014/09/u-s-bypasses-security-council-on-impending-invasion-of-syria/

I write specifically on two paragraphs in your analysis:

1) A Russian official was quoted as saying the Obama administration would need to get a UNSC resolution before it launches air attacks inside Syria — which, of course, the Russians did not do either before they intervened in Ukraine.

2) Perhaps all this points only in one direction: the UNSC has time and again proved its unworthiness – and remains ineffective and politically impotent having outlived its usefulness, particularly in crisis situations.

As to the first quoted paragraph, you appear to have accepted the Russians having intervened in Ukraine. I think this conclusion should be clarified whether you speak of Crimea or Eastern Ukraine, and verified that there has indeed been such an intervention on behalf of the Russian government.

That issue still seems to be in contention although the louder voices of the U.S., NATO and Western media repeats that claim more often than the denials by the Russians.

As to the second, is it really the case that the UNSC has “proved its unworthiness”, or is it worthy by the fact that it stands as an important international yardstick to the world for a process governments which circumvent it can be identified as international delinquents before the world of public opinion and scrutiny.

On yet another matter, should the U.S. circumvent the UNSC in an invasion into Syria, and recognizing the causal effect such an invasion can incur, is there a future argument for personal and national liability of each participating national leader and nation, both civilly and criminally, either in national courts or international arenas?

Can the U.S. and its national leaders, (presumably even members of the U.S. Congress who support or funds these actions) be brought before national or international courts for the consequences of this war?

Finally, I have very much appreciated your reporting and only now has taken this opportunity to share some thoughts.

Mahalo and Aloha,

*Poka Laenui is Director of the Hawaiian National Broadcast Corporation which produces the radio programme “Hawaiian Potpourri.