There is another problem which makes China’s and Russia’s positions more difficult: things may well reach a stage when intervention is morally justified – but it has to be said that the other powers, i. e. America, Europe, Turkey and the Arab League, have done a lot to aggravate the situation.

Intervention in Syria would probably encourage that kind of approach in future conflicts, too – and I don’t think that this should be left out of the account. This alone is a good reason for Beijing and Moscow to oppose every further step against the Assad regime – sanctions, intervention, or whatever.

Perhaps it would be better to have some sort of neutral international force, like the UN’s peacekeepers but with real authority, deal with these issues.

In any case it is almost impossible to find an objective standard to determine when it is morally acceptable to violate a country’s sovereignity to protect human rights, and when it isn’t.

No, that’s not some view of some nasty dictator. That’s a direct quote from Winston Churchill and originated from Charlese De Gaulle.

George Washington uttered something to the same effect.