[bert]

The bomb was carried into the meeting with Hitler by Von Staufenberg. It was placed in a briefcase next to the leg of the solid oak table. It is said the table absorbed the blast and Hitler survived.

The lesson was learned by the Syrian equivalent who achieved spectacular success.

[Netz]

The difference between the “civilized” German coup plotters is that they wanted to kill their target and live afterwards to run a provisional new German government. The Arab Muslims are suicide bombers for Allah. While we are all cheering and passing the popcorn regarding the demise of the Syrian Ba’ath regime we can enjoy the fireworks in the meantime but we must also be aware that the RADICAL ISLAMIC nutcases will replace Assad. So while we are rejoicing we must temper it with great concern for what will follow...

[Zajko]

If FR had a ‘like’ button I’d click it to your comment - just hope whoever had the guts to carry this out gets a kinder fate than von Stauffenberg did.

If Assef Shawkat is gone, this is a huge blow to Assad’s regime: the president’s right-hand man, ‘public enemy no.1’ to anyone who opposes him, and even in a regime notorious for its level of brutality and inhumanity to its own people, one of the nastiest pieces of work around.

I lived in Damascus for a year or so, back in 2007, in an apartment in the Christian quarter of the old city. Syrian friends would criticize even Assad, in private, if they knew you well enough. But very few ever dared to make any comment about Shawkat.