“It came about only because Cameron got his ass handed to him by the House of Commons.”
It came about Because the Russians told him in the emergency meeting on Friday that he had no authorization to attack Syria, not from the UN, or even from his own Congress, and that to do so would have severe consequences.
“This is not a game” was the quote from the Russian minister as he walked out of the meeting.
On Saturday, when it became clear that Obama was going to ignore Russia’s warning, Putin told his ships in the Med to “prepare for a serious confrontation”.
That scared the crap out of the Magnificent One, and he suddenly back-tracked to the Congress that he’d said just the day before he didn’t need the approval of.
As to Kerry, he wants to be the next President, and thinks this is his time on the World Stage, that he has wanted for so long.
The debate in the Commons showed how thin an argument Cameron had for intervening, and as you say, unlike in Libya and Egypt, the Russians actually have assets in Syria and have had for many years. If I were they I also would not let Assad be pushed aside, and for whom?