Have you ever settled on something you really wanted to achieve, knocked yourself out to bring your dream to fruition and then, when it came true, decided you didn’t want it? Neither have we.
But the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has. This month, following an extended lobbying campaign, it won election to the United Nations Security Council. The other nations chosen for membership celebrated. The Saudis, however, made a grand show of declining the honor-something no nation has ever done.
The Security Council is an odd hybrid. It consists of five permanent members-the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain-each of which has a veto over any decisions.It also has 10 members chosen for two-year terms that don’t carry a veto. Among the others elected this month are Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Nigeria.
The Saudis weren’t feeling like Groucho Marx, who said he wouldn’t belong to any club that would have him as a member. They’re unhappy with the conduct of the Security Council-and apparently the Obama administration-and decided to use this opportunity to deliver a loud slap in the face.
Unhappy with the conduct of the Security Council-well, who isn’t? Americans don’t like the Russians and Chinese vetoing action on Syria. The Russians and Chinese don’t like the Americans interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. Some governments resent the council because it’s too powerful, others because it’s not powerful enough. There is no Goldilocks at the UN, saying things are just right.
The Riyadh regime has several complaints. In its refusal, it said the council has failed to provide “the Palestinian cause with a just and lasting solution for 65 years.” In another jab at a certain Jewish state, it expressed dissatisfaction that the Middle East has not been freed of all nuclear weapons.
The Saudis also accused the council of “allowing the ruling regime in Syria to kill and burn its people by the chemical weapons . . . without applying deterrent sanctions.” (After the UN decision, the head of Saudi intelligence, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, said he plans to curtail cooperation with Washington in assisting the rebels in Syria.) They cited “the inability of the Security Council to carry out its duties and responsibilities.”
Some Middle East experts think the Saudis are reacting to another development they view with alarm-the prospect of a rapprochement between the U.S., a longtime ally of Riyadh, and Iran, a hated enemy. They also opposed President Barack Obama’s decision to withhold some military aid from the government of Egypt.
What the Saudis hope to accomplish is a mystery. Once they’ve had their moment in the spotlight, the Security Council will go back to handling the important business assigned to it-and the Saudis will be shut out of the deliberations. The Obama administration, meanwhile, is not likely to change course on Syria, Iran or Egypt to pacify the Saudis, whose views had already been taken into account and disregarded.
Editorial, Pages 12 on 10/28/2013