Assad and his cohorts are encouraged by the world’s failure to respond effectively to their brutal suppression of the revolt in Homs, and have proceeded to inflict vicious punishment on its survivors as a warning to opponents elsewhere. This may cow some of Syria’s civilian population in the short term, but it will serve only to exacerbate popular rage, and thus to increase the prospect of a bloody reckoning with Assad and his cronies down the line.
国际社会对残酷镇压霍姆斯起义不闻不问的态度助长了阿萨德及其同伙的气焰，他们继续残酷惩罚起义幸存者，以警告其他地方的反对派人士。短期内这样做可以吓阻叙利亚的某些平民，但长远看只能加剧公众愤怒，进而增加未来要求阿萨德及其亲信血债血偿的可能性。