The war in Syria has been an appalling tragedy; but what can be done when a ruler is determined to stay in power at all costs? Lyse Doucet's documentary tells the story of peaceful protests supressed until dispute became war, and of the truly terrible consequences. The Syrian government and their Russian allies come across very badly: the government officials respond to every charge from misjudgement to war-crimes by repeating the word "terrorism" as if the existence of that phenomenon justifies every response. In the end, Pax Assad will be better than fighting for most of the remaining population. It's hard to believe that the West could have made a difference in a positive sense; but that's little compensation for those who have lost their lives, homes and freedom.
