But at the United Nations, Russia, Syria's staunch ally, had promised to veto any resolution that could open the way to foreign military intervention or insist on Mr. Assad's removal.
In fact, Obama has been a staunch supporter of Israel, vetoing a United Nations resolution that used his own critical words on the settlements, ceding to Netanyahu's kick-the-can-down-the-road tactics, making clear there can be agreed territorial swaps in any two-state deal, and stating that the United States will not allow Iran to go nuclear.
In May 2004, the Bush administration, which was staunch in its support for Israel, abstained from a resolution condemning Israeli military action in Gaza, rather than using its veto.
It was a nonstarter: Amid staunch opposition from a board member, trustees passed a resolution to remain neutral.
From what I have observed, the staunch opposition of Russia and China on the last Syria draft resolution has pushed the Syrian conflict into an entire reflection of the Arab World.
A staunch advocate for African-American voting rights, Smalls proposed resolutions at the 1868 South Carolina Constitutional Convention that protected black voters and pushed the state to create the nation's first public school system.
In a statement on his proposed Chavez resolution, Gohmert described the co-founder of the United Farm Workers union as a staunch advocate of keeping "illegal aliens out of the country".
The resolution was the product of a compromise between the United States and Russia, Iraq's staunchest ally on the Council.
Foreign Affairs Minister Emma Bonino, a former EU Commissioner and EU Affairs Minister, has a history of staunch defender of human and civil rights: she is for instance the behind the approval of the UN resolution against female genital mutilation last year.
Even America's staunchest allies on the 15-member Council, the most powerful body in the United Nations system, voted for the resolution.
Evo Morales, Bolivia's president and a staunch ally of Mr. Chávez's, called it a threat to the region and said he would press for a resolution at the Ecuador meeting to veto the presence of foreign bases in the region.
