One can observe it in the Western response to the Syrian drama. Indeed, geopolitics, sectarian violence, lack of solutions, the West being wary of Middle Eastern wars, and any of the issues that everyone loves to discuss today do matter. Yet there is something that matters too and it can be even more important than anything else. I mean the West’s inability to defend the principles that are the core of Western civilization—human values and the set of principles the West pledges to defend outside as well. What is even more disastrous for the West are its attempts to hide its impotence and cowardice behind democratic procedures! Look at how Western leaders used the lack of the Security Council endorsement to pursue a wait-and-see approach to the unbearable human tragedy evolving in Syria. The Western leaders have Moscow and Beijing to thank for giving them justification for doing nothing. What Obama, Merkel, Holland, and Cameron would have done, if Moscow and Beijing had not vetoed the Syrian resolution?! I bet they would have not hurried to start a Syrian campaign.

Now the West has found another escape route—through the lack of parliamentary approval for military action against Assad. It is sad that Britain, the country that introduced the Western values to the world, has chosen to sit on the fence. Not because the arguments in favor of action against Assad are not serious; but because of a petty in-house struggle and the Labor leader’s personal ambitions. This has given other Western states the pretext for also looking away and doing nothing! Now Obama is waiting for Congress to decide whether America should stand up for its values in the world or not, because he himself is unable to decide! In fact, Obama is in his “leadership from behind” mood. But this means that the world (and Syrians too) cannot hope for any leadership from America.