h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In a blistering statement, Obama said Assad had displayed "disdain for human life and dignity" ... "The Syrian regime's policy of maintaining power by terrorizing its people only indicates its inherent weakness and inevitable collapse. Assad has no right to lead Syria, and has lost all legitimacy with his people and the international community."

The UN resolution supporting an Arab League peace plan was the most determined effort so far by the Security Council to try and respond to the crisis in Syria. It now lies in tatters after the double veto by Russia and China. ... Using words like "disgusted" and "appalled", Western diplomats accused Russia and China of holding the council hostage, and of complicity in the policy of repression carried out by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said China and Russia will be "held responsible" for violence in Syria after vetoing a UN resolution condemning government repression. ... [this] will only encourage President Assad's brutal regime to increase the killing". He accused Russia and China of encouraging further bloodshed ... in what he said marked "an hour of shame" for the United Nations.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has described as a "travesty" Russia and China's veto ... "We will work to expose those who are still funding the regime and sending it weapons to be used against defenceless Syrians, including women and children. ... The US will work with "friends of a democratic Syria" to support opponents of Syria's president.

Analysts say Mrs Clinton appeared to be alluding to the formation of a grouping of nations similar to the Contact Group on Libya. That group - a collection of Arab and other countries - oversaw international help for opponents of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

American UN envoy Susan Rice described the veto ... as "shameful", saying Russia and China aimed to "sell out the Syrian people and shield a craven tyrant". "Any further bloodshed that flows will be on their hands," she said. She later wrote on Twitter: "Disgusted that Russia and China prevented the UN Security Council from fulfilling its sole purpose."

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe called the Russian-Chinese veto a "moral stain" on the UN.
French Ambassador Gerard Araud told the council, "It is a sad day for this council, a sad day for all Syrians, and a sad day for democracy." He said Moscow and Beijing were now "complicit in the policy of repression" of Damascus.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16896783
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16892728
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16892200
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16895264
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9062245/Syria-Russia-and-Chinas-resolution-veto-shames-UN-says-William-Hague.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/04/obama-to-syrian-citizens_n_1254348.html

#1 "The US will work with "friends of a democratic Syria" to support opponents of Syria's president."

It is being said that this includes Sunni Rulers in Arab lands (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain ...) who are generally opposed to the Shia ruling alliance of Syria (alawites) and Iran.

In answer to your question: I doub it a lot. Those and other countries do not act following any ethic drive. UN resolutions are ignored or followed if they favour estrategically, economically... a country.

I wonder why the UN do not change the rules of vetoing, or even why they do not eliminate them completely.

It´s a sad show any time the UN ask for measures for this or that.
Nobody remember what Israel has been doing so far?

The UN hall is like a classroom of wild teenagers controlled by an unexperienced teacher, who, and this is the worst part, has agreed on accepting the veto of the most relevant bullies.