Syria

Yesterday I spoke with the BBC/NPR about why the ICC is not involved in Syria. Today, we have a P3 draft resolution including a referral to the ICC. The diplomatic pieces are moving quickly, and that’s positive news after months of stalemate. But wherever this leads, I believe it is critical to draw together and maintain as much of a unified international stance as possible under the circumstances. In other words, a less-than-ideal policy option that has Russia’s support beats a better policy option that Russia won’t sign onto. I’m wary of analogies, but with respect to this specific point, Darfur provides a useful lesson. In our multi-polar world U.S. condemnation alone is not enough to change the calculus of regimes that have the backing of Russia or China.