Chinless Ophthalmologist Victorious

Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Mogadishu) and Rashida Tlaib*(D-Ramallah) remind us that eight ears ago this weekend the Syrian civil war began. 

This is a useful reminder of the rivalry between the Islamists and the old line secular Arabist regimes, of which Assad's is the last.

Anyone else remember the Iran-Iraq War?

When Assad the younger took power earlier in the century, we were among the crowd that thought of him as the 'chinless ophthalmologist'. It was a neo-con thing. We assumed Assad and the Syrian state would not survive the war. Yet here he stands on the cusp of victory.

Not bad for a chinless ophthalmologist.

We must say the man has our grudging respect.

*Our Arabic sources tell us this should be pronounced Talib.