A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Annan Throws in the Towel

Kofi Annan is stepping aside as the UN peacemaker in Syria. If your first instinct was to respond, "that will make no difference whatsoever," you aren't alone, but to be honest, it's rather pointless for the United Nations to keep pretending there is a "peace plan" in place when clearly there may be a plan but there is no peace. Continuing to push the rock up the hill and watch it roll down again make the UN appear impotent. The United Nations would better serve the cause of peace by doing what Annan has done and in effect admitting defeat. Until and unless the Asad regime starts looking for the bolt-hole, peace plans will go nowhere.

1 comment:

David Mack said...

It's not desirable to have no available channel for negotiations, but no one can blame Annan for not trying. Agree that there was not much hope for his mediation until Bashar looks for a bolt hole, but let's hope someone will be there to make the arrangements if and when he does.