NEIL MacFARQUHAR identifies the crux of the matter

"Fundamentally, the argument over Syria reflects a deeper divide between those who would use the Security Council to confront nations over how their governments treat civilians, versus those who consider that it has no role whatsoever in settling domestic disputes."  This is too much for me to digest, Mr. MacFarquhar, but let me try to understand.  So you are saying that the US and its allies are in favor of confronting, say, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, and Egypt of Sadat and Mubarak--over how they treat their citizens (or non-citizens as the case may be)?  OK.  That is easy to understand.  Thanks for this helpful and moral distinction between the two camps.  I would have remained confused otherwise.