Syria the biggest loser as Trump joins war

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaking during an interview with Denmark's TV2 channel on October 6, 2016. PHOTO | SANA

What you need to know:

  • Another rationale was Assad had violated international law by using since the end of World War I internationally banned chemical weapons.
  • On Saturday, Russian and Syrian war planes were busy bombing Idlib province, where the gassing took place Tuesday.

It’s difficult, even with abundant generosity, to sympathise with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad following a humiliating United States cruise missiles attack on one of his military bases last week.

Of course not all nations, or rather their leaders, in the world hate Assad.

President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation — a fragile shell of the misnamed Soviet Union — that caused shivers worldwide has plenty of sympathy and support.

Same with Iran, whose leaders strive to re-create the Persian Empire that, too, shivered the known world of bygone centuries.

Think of the late Shah these leaders ousted and you’ll get it. The above is context placement.

SARIN GAS
US President Donald Trump — he has promised “we will win so much you will get tired of winning” — said he ordered firing of 60 Tomahawk missiles — one misfired — to punish the Assad administration for using sarin gas weapons at a town few would have ever heard of until them.

“Assad choked the lives of helpless men, women and children,” he said.

Suspect is his assertion watching photographs of children choking after inhaling the gas changed his mind against his previously held position of keeping the US out of the Syrian conflict.

Well, men, women and children are choking worldwide, the US included.

Another rationale was Assad had violated international law by using since the end of World War I internationally banned chemical weapons.

The use and spread of such weapons threatens the world, especially the US.

“It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons,” he said.

MORE BOMBINGS

That’s as if bellowing coal fumes — Trump champion the mining — is perfume.

Mr Putin, and it’s plausible he “engineered” the Syrian “invitation” in 2013 to help fight terrorists, ISIL et al, described the attack as “aggression against a sovereign state in violation of the norms of international laws”. The Ukrainians, for example, must be gasping!

All Assad could do was whimper “reckless, foolish and irresponsible” action.

Maybe! Anyway, on Saturday, Russian and Syrian war planes were busy bombing Idlib province, where the gassing took place Tuesday.

Verbiage flowed, especially in support of the US. One is notable. Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s was among the few: Assad bears “full responsibility”.

TERRORISM
There were no terrorists — and that’s the rationale for all the ganging of nations in the conflict — six years ago in Syria when the conflict erupted.

A bunch of children simply dared to scribble what everyone knew: Assad’s rule was obnoxious.

And so, everyone who followed suit became, to Assad, a “terrorist”. Real terrorists from elsewhere joined in the fray. Syria will end up rubble.

Welcome to Assad-Terrorists-Putin-Trump show.