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U.S. Message to Assad: The Game Has Changed

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Posted: April 7th, 2017

By Robert Richer

Robert Richer served as a former Associate Deputy Director for Operations at the CIA.  He retired in 2005 and before his retirement he also served as Chief of the Near East and South Asia Division, responsible for Clandestine Service Operations throughout the Middle East and South Asia. Mr. Richer currently consults on Middle East and national security issues and is a senior partner with International Advisory Partners.

After the United States launched airstrikes against a Syrian airfield late Thursday night, The Cipher Brief reached out to Rob Richer, the former Associate Deputy Director of Operations at the Central Intelligence Agency and Cipher Brief Network Expert, to discuss the message the Trump Administration has sent to the Assad Regime. He told us that the targeted strikes will be welcome news in the region and signal to Damascus, Moscow and Tehran that “the game has changed.”

The Cipher Brief: What is the significance of the target chosen in Syria? Will a strike like this change the dynamic on the ground?

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