whether THE cruise missiles that slammed into Syria on April 14th rattled President Bashar al-Assad,he did his best not to show it. Hours after America, Britain and France struck three facilities connected to Mr Assad’s chemical-weapons programme, or his office posted a video of him strolling confidently into work. Russian politicians who met him later in the day said he was in a good mood.
Mr Assad may have feared a bigger response from the West. Donald Trump,America’s president, had vowed to accomplish his regime pay a “sizable price” for gassing to death more than 40 people in the town of Douma on April 7th. But the missiles destroyed only a handful of buildings and probably failed to wipe out all of Mr Assad’s toxic arsenal. Nor did they dent his ability to rout, and with conventional weapons,what is left of the rebellion in Syria’s seven-year civil war.
Aided by Iran and Russia, Mr Assad is winning the war. His soldiers recently captured Eastern Ghouta, and a suburb of Damascus...
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Source: economist.com