iPolitics
Can diplomacy, democracy and multilateralism for once trump the use of force in international relations? There are guarded gronds for hope.
Month: September 2013
Diplomacy, democracy and multilateralism: On the 12th anniversary of 9/11, is the crisis in Syria bringing the world to its senses?
Whatever else might be said about the age of globalization, one of its defining qualities is the speed with which circumstances can change.
The last few days have been particularly head-spinning.
Just over a week ago, in response to allegations of chemical weapons use by the Assad regime, some kind of armed Western intervention in Syria seemed imminent.
In Washington, London and Paris, sabres were rattling, and the ground was being prepared for war. All signs pointed to another round of shock and awe.
Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya… redux.
And then, the tide turned. By the time of the G20 summit in St. Petersburg September 5-6, divisions over Syria within the international community were so sharp and deep that the meeting was effectively hijacked.
What has happened, and how might these events be interpreted?