The veto imposed by Russia and China to condemn the Syrian government’s crackdown on protests had irked her.

Ambassador Susan Rice was unhappy when she walked out of the United Nations Security Council meeting on Saturday. The veto imposed by Russia and China to condemn the Syrian government’s crackdown on protests had irked her.

“Let me begin by speaking directly to the Syrian people,” she told media after the vote. “The United States stands with you, the Syrian people, and we will not rest until you and your bravery achieve your basic, universal human rights, to which all human beings are entitled.

“Today, we saw clearly which countries are prepared to support the people of Syria – and, indeed, the people of the entire region – as they struggle to attain a future of peace and democracy. And we saw which countries, for their narrow interests, do not.”

For a diplomat, strong words. So, too, were those from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"What happened yesterday at the United Nations was a travesty," said Clinton on Sunday.

The BBC reported that Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov claimed the resolution was not a sufficient compromise for all parties while China defended its opposition.

Another alternative view came from a China Daily editorial that suggested the UN resolution was presented too quickly and that Russian diplomatic efforts should be allowed time to succeed.

“We've seen what happened in Libya,” read the editorial. “With the armed intervention by some major Western powers, the Libyan regime was overthrown. But instead of the democracy and freedom they were promised, Libyan people cannot even live in peace as the country is in the danger of falling into a sectarian civil war.”

Too late for that in Syria. Almost as soon as the UN resolution was tossed aside, government forces were reported to have unleashed hell on parts of the city of Homs. Unconfirmed reports claimed at least 200 people dead. Syria’s government said the attacks were the work of “terrorists”.

Of course, these things are never simple. Russia has a naval base in Syria and so the Russians aren’t about to upset Assad’s host government over an issue that they feel is driven by, among other things, feigned Western indignation and genuine hypocrisy.

Russia can rightly claim the US has a naval base in Bahrain and there was no rush from the Americans to condemn a government crackdown on protests there last year. Assad’s hand is clearly heavier than that of the Bahrainis but so too is the Assad opposition. It may all be relative but on the other hand, both sides could argue that a point of principle remains a point of principle.

The Middle East has historically long been a game for outside powers one that played a role in determining Syria’s borders. It looks like that game continues into the 21st Century.