Bashar al-Assad does not want to let a calamity go to waste
The Syrian dictator hopes devastating earthquakes will ease sanctions on his regime
TIMING is everything after a disaster. For aid workers the first 72 hours are crucial, as injury, thirst and the elements conspire to kill survivors. Beyond that mark, their odds of rescue drop sharply. For autocrats hoping a disaster will ease their international isolation, however, the timeline is a bit more forgiving.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Never let a crisis go to waste”
From the February 18th 2023 edition
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