While the UN Security Council resolution ordering the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons is historic, the fact that the US and Russia are both raising their hands on the vote to destroy Syria's stockpile is a genuinely groundbreaking event. The murderous 30-month run by the Assad regime which has killed over 100,000 people, displaced millions and culminated in last month's horrific sarin attack might not be coming to an end, but the threat of another chemical weapons assault like that on Ghouta has definitely receded. Resolution 2118 is the opening that the world community has been looking for after a two-and-a-half year paralysis. Its two key demands, that Syria abandon its chemical weapons stockpile and that weapons experts to be given unfettered access to make sure it is dismantled by the middle of next year, are a breakthrough after previous attempts at a resolution stumbled and fell amid the Cold War mentality of Russia and the US on how to deal with the crisis in Syria. To be sure, the resolution has some missing teeth. While it condemned last month's poison gas attack in Damascus, it does not authorize the automatic use of force if Syria does not comply with the resolution, as was previously sought by the US. Although the draft refers to Chapter VII of the UN charter, which allows the use of military force, a second resolution authorizing such a move would be needed. But this time around it will not be had. The proviso not to go after Assad if he violates the resolution was a key demand of the Russians, which is unfortunate because without the threat of force being used against the regime which used the gas, Assad could very well do it again. Military action or sanctions would require a second resolution, and it is here that Moscow would wield its veto as it did before to block three Western-drafted resolutions on Syria. It would surely be ready to block again. Nor does the resolution attribute guilt for the August 21 Ghouta nerve gas attack. Despite the agreement reached in Geneva two weeks ago which this resolution enshrines, Russia and America remain at odds over who was to blame for the massacre. And because the parties differ over who was responsible, there are no immediate sanctions over the attack as was confirmed by the UN. The resolution expresses "strong conviction" that those responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria "should be held accountable” but convictions will not deter campaigns of death. Thus the Ghouta attack which left more than 1,400 dead has become a footnote but at least not before triggering action for a new diplomatic dynamic. For over two years, the Security Council had been unable to reach a consensus over what to do to end Syria's civil war. Now it has drawn up something of a road map. The resolution would for the first time seek to eliminate an entire nation's chemical weapons capability. This is a far cry from just last month when after the attack, Security Council members could not even agree on a press statement condemning the killings. On Friday, the picture had so reversed that the Security Council adopted a binding resolution on Syria in a session in which all 15 members raised their hands to back the draft document agreed earlier by, of all countries, all-time archenemies Russia and the US.
