Syrians also have Israel to thank for their liberation

Things could still go badly for Syria following the abrupt downfall of Bashar Assad on Saturday and the end of 54 years of ruinous Assad family rule.

- By BRET STEPHENS

The Islamist militia that led the revolt, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Organization for the Liberation of the Levant), has old ties to al-Qaida and remains on the US list of designated terrorist organizations, though its leader now disavows terrorism. The experience of post-revolutionary Arab states—whether in Yemen, Libya, Tunisia, or Egypt—has not been a happy one.

Foreign powers, particularly Turkey, may seek to replace Iran's former dominance in the country with their own. And Syria's ethnic and sectarian divisions among Alawites, Sunnis, Kurds, and Arabs could still prove explosive, with spillover effects in Jordan, Lebanon, and other neighbors.