Putin holds winning cards as Syrian war nears Idlib showdown

Saudi and Israeli fears over Iran have benefited Assad - but having survived the war, can he survive the peace? The surrender of rebel forces in south-west Syria, following the fall of eastern Ghouta and other regime successes, strengthens the grim expectation that nothing can now deny Bashar al-Assad a final victory - of sorts - in Syria's civil war. But the physical restoration of territory does not necessarily translate into restoration of political authority. For Assad, besieged by predatory...