MINURSO extended for six more months

Anticlimax at the UN today. The UN Security Council has extended MINURSO's mandate for another six months, which is all right, even if it doesn't bring the conflict anywhere close to resolution. At least they reaffirmed their support for "the self-determination of the people of the Western Sahara."

There is another, more disappointing part of today's UNSC discussion. 14 of the council's members wanted to express concern about Moroccan human rights abuses in Western Sahara, but France blocked it. Once again France demonstrates its willingness to protect the Moroccan government from the international criticism it richly deserves.