UNSC establishment of tribunals is a relatively recent and somewhat unestablished power. Due to their ad hoc and hence potentially politicised nature, moves were made to create the ICC in the early 2000's. There are critics of this process on all sides of the political spectrum. To suggest that establishing 'rules' and culpability in asymmetrical warzones is possible apart from political interpretations is to divorce oneself from reality.
This does not excuse any actions, killings or the conflicts
themselves. We're speaking of culpability, moral authority and the demagogic
utilization of politics.
As some are pointing out, this is pure politics and theatre
for Western audiences. Russia is not hostile to an investigation, but they do
not accept the posturing of the resolution and the way in which it would seek
to implement such an investigation.
The resolution was brought forward with full knowledge that
Russia would exercise the veto. There's no genuine desire here to get to the
truth of the matter. This is the United States trying to score points and to
keep up public support for continued anti-Russian rhetoric as well as momentum
for political machinations against the Putin regime.
It is a clear example of US mainstream media collaboration
with the Establishment.
We don't know what happened to the flight. The Russians may
indeed have shot it down. These things happen in war zones. The United States
shot down an Iranian jetliner in the 1980's while it was inserting itself into
the Iraq-Iran conflict. This is not to make light of what happened but it is to
suggest that governments scheme and lie and while Putin may be head of an evil
government, Samantha Power and the regime she represents have no moral
standing. Will America stand for its 'heinous crimes being investigated and
prosecuted'?
This Reuters piece is actually fairly neutral. The bulk of
the available coverage is anti-Russian. There are of course a few media outlets
which take a pro-Russian or at the very least a cynical view of the UNSC
action. Their voices are not heard in the US except by those who go looking for
them.
