Russia and China gave the green light to the regime in Damascus to continue killing the Syrian people when they vetoed the United Nations Security Council resolution to stop the carnage in Syria. The Russian and Chinese veto showed the weakness of the Security Council when its member nations are divided on major issues. It reveals how fragile and ineffective the UN can be when it tries to impose its mandate to help people and to maintain world peace. Faced with the Security Council's failure to take decisive action on Syria, the Kingdom and other Arab countries cannot sit idly by and watch the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad continue to kill innocent people. On Monday, various groups in the Kingdom were reported to have launched a campaign to boycott Russian and Chinese products to send a message to the two countries that Arabs do not approve of their veto decision. We hope that the campaign will catch fire not only in the Kingdom but also in other countries, Arab and non-Arab alike, to send a message not only to Russia and China but also to other countries which put their own interests ahead of the welfare of their people. Such nations must realize that they cannot prevail against a united people clamoring for justice and peace. Meanwhile, a move calling for the Security Council to send to Syria a peacekeeping force consisting of Arab and non-Arab members is a good plan which can achieve the goal of the Syrian people and the Arab world in general to stop the bloodshed and bring peace to Syria. But will the Security Council again fail to act on this initiative, with Russia and China seemingly determined to proceed with their selfish and unreasonable agenda in Syria? We must do our share to support initiatives that will put pressure on Russia and China to abandon their position and show concern for the plight of the Syrian people who are in dire need of the world's help. __
