Dimplomatic gesture

Yesterday's formal expulsion of Syrian Ambassadors from the United States, Britain, France, Australia and Canada, and of less senior diplomats from Germany, Spain and Italy was a necessary gesture -- but no more than that -- following the killings of women and children in Houla at the end of last week. (It might be asked why all the European Union's 27 members did not act together.)
Although Kofi Annan's peace plan was sound in principle it did not - could not - provide for the deviousness and single-minded brutality of Syria's President Assad, nor for the provocative activities of the rebel forces enboldened by financial help for weapons from the Gulf States. The UN Human Rights mission in Syria has reported that the great majority of the women and children in Houla were killed at close quarters and not by Army shelling.

Assad blames the opposition but it was more likely the work of the shabiha mercenaries controlled by the Army.
At the weekend General Mood, the Norwegian commander of the UN Observer Mission in Syria said, “What I have learned about Syria is not to jump to conclusions.” The rapidly deteriorating situation there needs more studied and sensitive handling than it is getting from the knee-jerk reactions of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UK Foreign Minister William Hague. What General Mood has learned should be listened to.