Garda Siochana - vote

Wednesday, 8th August 2012

What would happen if the Garda Siochana took a vote to publically criticise another part of the Garda Siochana? Sounds kind of ridiculous doesn't it? Well that is exactly what has happened when the United Nations recently took a vote to criticise the actions, or more precisely the inactions of the United Nations Security Council. Although it does make sense as to why the United Nations did this if you stand back you can't help but wonder what planet these people are on. What is the warped logic that is in operation here? It sounds like the kind of thing that Kafka would think up. But then again we all know why this has happened. It is because Russia and China has yet again used their vetoes so that sanctions cannot be imposed on the Syrian Government which is currently involved in a war with its own people. China has made its stance clear and rarely makes any comment. Russia is a bit more forthcoming but you can't help but think that their spokes people should be up for Oscars rather than putting forth credible arguments as to why they have taken this position. A lot of it has to do with money. Russia is still making money from what is happening in Syria by selling the Government weapons at high prices that are then in turn being used to kill its citizens. Also there is the personal connections that exist between the Assad regime and Russia. It has been reported that Assad's wife has relocated to Russia while the conflict is being played out. Then there are the ideological or if you would the political reasons as to why Russia and China repeatedly veto any attempt to break the stalemate in Syria. Simply put, those two countries are extremely nervous about the idea of other countries getting involved in what are perceived as internal conflicts in individual countries. You can understand why that might be. Russia and China do not have the best political systems and their human rights records are to put it mildly unnerving. The current treatment of the 3 Pussy Riot women who are on trial for hooliganism in Russia is just the latest example of how Russia clamps down on anything it perceives to be a threat to the status quo. The term 'hooliganism' is a catch all term that dates back to Soviet times and can be used for practically any actions that those in authority find threatening. It is not used in the same way that we use it here in the West, in Russia it can have very political overtones. As for China's human rights record well it generally is accepted to be appalling yet it seems to be conveniently ignored as it builds itself into an economic superpower.