In theory, the fall of a brutal dictator, especially one who tortured and gassed his own people, would be a cause for unqualified celebration in the free world.
In practice, we know from bitter experience that when such despots are deposed, new chaos and tyranny all too often follow in their wake.
Elation over the horror of Saddam Hussein and Colonel Gaddafi quickly turned to horror as Iraq and Libya were consumed by anarchy and civil war.
So following the abrupt fall of Bashar al-Assad, the world is asking with some trepidation: What comes next for Syria, the wider Middle East and the West?
Not for the first time, Western intelligence agencies were blindsided by the speed of the Islamist rebel offensive. After capturing Damascus yesterday, and forcing Assad into exile, the insurgents declared total victory.
Most prominent among the militias is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Its leaders may be preaching moderation right now, but they have their roots in Isis and Al Qaeda. Extremism and vengeance lurk behind the mask.
The various rebel factions have little in common except their hatred of Assad. Will they manage to unite to form a national government – or plunge into a bloody power struggle?Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the toppling of Assad’s ‘barbaric regime’ and called for ‘peace and stability’, but with Islamists now in charge he risks looking dangerously naïve.
These events represent a profound challenge to the West. The renewed violence and instability in Syria will almost certainly trigger fresh waves of refugees heading for Europe and the UK. There is also the danger that the rebels will radicalise and embolden a fresh generation of extremists intent on wreaking terror on our shores.
Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the toppling of Assad’s ‘barbaric regime’ and called for ‘peace and stability’, but with Islamists now in charge he risks looking dangerously naive
Following the abrupt fall of Bashar al-Assad, the world is asking with some trepidation: What comes next for Syria , the wider Middle East and the West?
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, addresses a crowd at the capital’s landmark Umayyad Mosque
Syrians celebrate the collapse of 61 years of Baath Party rule in Damascus, Syria
Having David Lammy as Foreign Secretary doesn’t help matters. His suspension of some arms sales to Israel and support for the International Criminal Court charging Israel’s prime minister with war crimes has surely provided succour to jihadists.
To cope with the disquieting and unpredictable crisis sparked by Assad’s downfall, Britain needs cool-headed, grown-up politicians. The question is, do we have any?
Police funding revolt
First pensioners, then farmers. Now chief constables are in open revolt against Labour.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has been warned that forces face axing thousands of officers because of a funding shortfall.
The problem is they are struggling to foot the bill for police pay rises, and looming National Insurance and minimum wage hikes.
Without more cash, they say their ability to fight crime will ‘significantly deteriorate’.Yes, the Government was too inept to spot this obvious consequence of the Budget.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has been warned that forces face axing thousands of officers because of a funding shortfall
But the priorities of some chief constables are also highly questionable, for instance investigating ‘non-crime hate incidents’.
If they stopped wasting precious resources on such cases and caught a few more burglars, they might find a more sympathetic hearing to their pleas for more money.
A load of rubbish
Having bins emptied frequently ought to be the minimal expectation of a civilised society.
Depressingly, Labour has quietly abandoned plans to force councils to collect household rubbish fortnightly.
Local authorities are predictably delighted as this allows them to send out the dustbin lorries once a month or even less regularly.
What kind of service is that for people who are paying exorbitant rates of council tax? This represents both a health hazard and an environmental outrage.
The only locals who will benefit are the rats.
