Russia and China: Warnings from the Arab Spring
John Kampfner, Index on Censorship | February 6, 2012
Beijing is dismissive of Western interests in the UN, prioritizing stability, economic benefit and non-interference. ++ Russia is Syria's largest arms supplier and is attempting to demonstrate an alternative to Western "belligerence". ++ Domestically, Putin fears bloodshed if public resistance does not subside when he returns to power. ++ The West can do little in Syria since Assad has been emboldened by China and Russia. ++ Liberal interventionism needs to be more consistently defined to strengthen complaints about the brutality of dictators.
