Can the G8 emerge as the crisis management replacement for the U.N. or at least play more of a major role? Will we see the day when the Security Council becomes nothing more than the administrative arm of the G8 to formalize agreements worked out with the world's major financial powers and brought to a vote on the U.N. floor?
One can only hope that the events in St. Petersburg this weekend have led to improving the interaction and consensus building among the world's super financial powers. However nations like China and a moderate Arab bloc need to play a role. China, who has now been clearly dis-respected by North Korea in their repudiation of the UN resolution in under 45 minutes (a new world record) should now see that their vested interest lies in joining the G8 leaders in blocking radical ideologues, be it dictatorships in North Korea or Islamo-radical terror organizations hell-bent on destroying western culture and the state of Israel in the Middle East.
The joint textual statement from the G8 leaders, the formal statement from the body presumed united in direction, condemns Hezbollah, with all eight parties agreeing to the language. There is no mention of Iran or Syria directly, but it's intimated. The question is, how will the G8 back up its request? The document said:
The immediate crisis results from efforts by extremist forces to destabilise the region.
In an indirect swipe at Iran and Syria, it added:
These extremist elements and those that support them cannot be allowed to plunge the Middle East into chaos and provoke a wider conflict. The extremists must immediately halt their attacks. It is also critical that Israel, while exercising the right to defend itself, be mindful of the strategic and humanitarian consequences of its actions.
Might it just be possible that we are witnessing the gradual transformation of the G8 into an informal "Board of Directors" to facilitate guidance and leadership of the U.N. operational agenda? The jury is still out.
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