France Leads Rapprochement with Russia in UN Vote on ISIL

Russian President Putin has played a key role in the Middle East for many years, in spite of western interventions that have left Iraq and Syria in turmoil. The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was designed to topple Saddam Hussein — which it did — but led to years of civil war.

Critics say the Iraq invasion — for which former British Prime Minister Tony Blair stands accused of war crimes — left the nation destabilized, with the army being disbanded and bitter rivalry dividing the nation.

The invasion followed extensive talks in the United Nations and critics have said there was no mandate for the invasion. In an interview with the BBC, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, "From our point of view and from the Charter point of view [the war] was illegal."

Dilemma Over Syria

When the US and the UK announced their intention to launch airstrikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces, in 2013, Putin warned against the move. He said it was "ludicrous'' that Assad would use them at a time when his forces were gaining ground against the rebels.

In August 2013, the US Congress was due to vote on military airstrikes against Assad, but this was postponed following the defeat in the UK of Prime Minister David Cameron's motion to parliament calling for military action over Syria.

 Instead, the US and the UK instigated a policy of supporting forces opposed to Assad's government, inadvertently assisting ISIL to get a foothold in the region in its aim to create an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East.

When Russia began its military intervention in Syria, supporting Assad's forces in targeting both ISIL and opposition forces, the US was left in a dilemma.

Having imposed sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis, the US found itself onside with Russia in the fight against ISIL.

Now, French diplomats have moved to co-ordinate a UN-backed move for Russia and the West to join forces against a common enemy.

French diplomates have tabled a resolution to "take all necessary measures, in compliance with international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, on the territory under the control of ISIL in Syria and Iraq, to redouble and co-ordinate their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist acts committed specifically by ISIL […] and to eradicate the safe haven they have established in Iraq and Syria."

Diplomatic sources told Sputnik, the French decision to table the motion was taken after talks with both Russia and China in an effort to secure consensus ahead of a vote, with neither nation exercizing its right of veto. Such a resolution will be a victory for Putin who has played the long-game in the Middle East and emerged as a key player in the battle against ISIL.