New Delhi, Dec. 11 -- How can a militarized society with a battle-ready army collapse in just a week?

Was the army made to stand down to allow HTS and its Islamist boss to take over in Syria without a fight? This is what it seems as the speed at which the army refused to resist the takeover by HTS and the Salvation Front that rules Idlib province suggests that some deal had taken place either at the level of the army or with President Bashar al-Assad, allowing him to leave the country unhurt. That's the reason one city after another began to fall after the Aleppo takeover was announced. The rapid downfall of President Assad was similar to the quick escape through army help in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and later Bangladesh. In all three cou...