Four years ago the West were ready to take action against Assad and he was wetting his pants. Russia hadn't entered the ring
and Obama wanted Cameron to back him in any action. Cameron reached an agreement with Ed Milliband to recommend joint
US / UK action to Parliament. At the last minute Milliband stabbed Cameron in the back and withdrew his support. Cameron
called off his support to Obama and Obama refused to carry out a unilateral attack on Assad/ Syria.
The following four years are history, as is most of Syria, and a quarter of it's citizens. I firmly believe that if the West had lobbed
two dozen Cruise Missiles at Assad's prized assets the Syrian people would have achieved a democracy, and the ensuing chaos
across the globe would have been avoided. You have to confront bullying dictators or face the consequences.
I think most of the West's problems right now can be traced back to that lost opportunity.