Message sent was not for Assad or Syria, message was for North Korea.
In recent years, the US has progressively divested its interests in the world balance of political power. However since the "mice" have been running around stealing or trying to steal, bits of tasty cheese, the US has decided that the line in the sand must be redrawn.
I'm sure that the list of "mice" would include: Russia, North Korea, Iran, Turkey, China and any number of minor rogue states. In addition, the "cats" will take some comfort in the knowledge that they once again have a "Top Cat", and that the pendulum of world political order is now more likely to swing the other way.
There is no doubt that the world as we know it does not fair well when political oversight becomes fragmented.
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