It is funny that when it comes to domestic politics Obama without any seeming qualms or concern embraces the imperial presidency, is quite happy to unilaterally move an agenda ahead, scorn any consensus building with his hated opponents who are apparently all solely motivated by spite and ignorance - yet when it comes to foreign policy he's suddenly all about consensus building, multilateralism etc etc - that is indeed funny - but of course it's also all bullshit because the vaunted accommodation being embraced at the UN is really just the tyranny of the like minded - and what is it these progressives all agree on? They hate Israel and they hate American power. No wonder Obama willingly embraces the platitudes of the UN - its world view intersects nicely with his.
[and of course no sooner do I write above and Jerusalem Post reports Obama considering acting without UN approval since Russia and China will veto any effort - which flies in the face of everything Obama said last week - is this guy just making it up as he goes along? Jesus. Actually, as much as I feel mostly just scorn for the UN, I think trying to make an end run around the Security Council in this case is very likely a bad idea, mainly because as I've said before there are nothing but bad outcomes left when it comes to Syria - as in there's a very good chance you end up punishing one faction for war crimes who will then become victims of war crimes committed by the factions you have empowered - and so it will be virtually impossible to look like the 'good guys' here like you did in the Serbian action, which is the model Obama et al will no doubt be promoting here - and when all hell breaks loose and China and Russia and Iran are forced into a strategic alliance with Russia and Iran viewing Syria as a strategic asset, well... that all sounds like one hell of a toxic mix to me - I mean what if, explicitly or implicitly backed by Russia and China, Iran decides to do something bold like blockade Hormuz or through its proxies attempt to draw Israel into the mess? I really gotta believe the Joint Chiefs are not much thrilled by any of this]
