kompootor t1_j9wkrka wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:57 AM

I didn't think there could be something less meaningful than a GA resolution vote until I saw a chart of a GA resolution vote.

(Though in fairness I read that a GA resolution does have the tiniest, barest iota of consideration in international law when it comes to evaluating norms -- worthwhile enough to get a footnote in international court rulings from time to time. Norms are evaluated far more heavily based on the domestic law of parties and their peers as well as, well, norms -- what everyone's just been doing in similar situations for decades.)

Denk-doch-mal-meta OP t1_j9xvku7 wrote on February 25, 2023 at 10:16 AM

That's because you did not consider how it is important that so many countries have the balls to openly condemn the action of a powerful aggressor even if this has no direct consequences.

But maybe you have a solution what the 141 countries can do?

kompootor t1_j9ykd5j wrote on February 25, 2023 at 2:48 PM

If it has no consequences, then it doesn't take balls to do.

The GA vote probably has more importance as a short-term PR boost (or burden) with headlines like these, so the countries that voted against the resolution probably were able to do something more in terms of moderating the Russia-China axis than the rest of the countries. Why? Because the only reason countries have to vote for anything not relevant to their politics is for something in return -- so every vote against is something Russia (or perhaps China) had to trade in. Of course most things aren't wholly zero-sum like that, but it's still the important thing to keep in mind with almost any assembly vote -- but especially GA -- that much or most of the real work is in the whipping behind the scenes.

Denk-doch-mal-meta OP t1_j9yqwgi wrote on February 25, 2023 at 3:36 PM

No. Most countries that did not vote Yes are either fearing Russia, are shitholes themselves or are dependent on Russia. India is the biggest of them.

kompootor t1_ja1dza7 wrote on February 26, 2023 at 2:52 AM

Please look up any reputable analysis on who has the upper hand in the relationship: India vs Russia; or also for fun, China vs Russia.

Denk-doch-mal-meta OP t1_ja2u3ks wrote on February 26, 2023 at 12:47 PM

This might not fit your worldview but

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/India%E2%80%93Russia_relations

kompootor t1_ja3ebkn wrote on February 26, 2023 at 3:35 PM

What wouldn't fit my worldview? What contradicts what I've said? The numbers are important, sure -- it tells you that there is a significant mutual economic interest, ramped up to 11 since the war began. The reason for looking up an analysis is because they can interpret those numbers over the past several years, and in context of the region and of Russia's, India's, and China's trade and foreign policy in general, and tell you, again, who's the boss in the relationship.

For a start, consider trade. Russia's available export markets were dramatically cut since the war began, and as its economy has been primarily driven by oil and gas exports, it slashed prices to find new buyers fast. China came first, then India, who together import an equal share of about 40% of Russia's crude (-ish -- the numbers are fluctuating per the article; it was about the same share in December; Russia also majorly exports gas and refined fuel of course). Note how dramatically India's imports rose, supposedly once it got the right price and political incentive. If Russia said tomorrow "we're mad -- no more oil", then India goes back to their old supplier -- but who else does Russia have to sell that 20% of crude to, that they already sell well below market price?

That's a very basic analysis on how what looks to be a mutual trade agreement might actually be extremely one-sided, but there's so much in the three-way relationship that you have to look at a full analysis. And one about the last 5--10 years, not an analysis of the Cold War.

Denk-doch-mal-meta OP t1_jac6zt8 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 11:30 AM

If this war shows something than how dependent we all are on each other. Energy, machine parts, food etc., everyone needs something. So most relationships are not one-sided.

Speaking of India they could decide to change their energy imports but that would deeply affect their military also because it's based on Russian tech. So it's complex.