Will today's strike in Syria change the way NK/China thinks or acts in their respective AOs?

China? I doubt it made any difference. Iran though they have continued with their bluster and bravado, are not idiots, and I have no doubt the took note. North Korea? I am sure they took note, but it does not seem to have changed anything. I would consider them the most dangerous of all regimes today, simply because we can not expect a rational response or action from them. Most countries you can expect to act in a way that is in their best interests and which they perceive to best assure their survival. I have a feeling NK really thinks they can take on the US and win.

NO

It isn't going to happen. But, China may have a word or two with the Little Fat Boy. Seems China is putting 150K troops along the PDRK/China boarder, The USS Carl Vinson, CVN-70, is just a rouge to take NK's attention away from the Chinese boarder. China wants a regime change, putting in their own puppet, but even that will be better for the Korean people. If the North Koreans blow up a nuke tomorrow (North Korean time) in a tunnel (I sure hope they seal it up), that will give China all the excuse they need to invade or bomb the country. We shall see.
The US will not bomb NK, I am sure Presidents Trump and Xi made some type of deal on trade and if China can stop the PDRK nuke and missile programs that they can have North Korea down to the 38th parallel.

I think maybe that along with the Carl Vinson Strike Group turning around and returning to the waters off the Korean Peninsula might at least give the little fat boy some pause - it will give his generals and admirals some pause, I'm certain.

I would say no, unless the U.S> were to take more drastic and forceful measures

Doubtful. China thinks in terms of centuries, not days, and NK is starving. Maybe less so with China since they have gotten a taste of capitalism, but the old line Party folks were not impressed or frightened at all. It may have been an attention gainer while visiting the resort but that's about it. They have plenty of unoccupied buildings made of concrete, and that's about all that was damaged at Al-Sharyat. It will take some skillful financial work to gain their attention and they already hold a large chunk of our debt and real estate.

Repost from another forum: First test of POTUS on using arms. The less talk the better. He has ridiculed others for telegraphing actions besides. Actions speak louder than words and words that aren't backed up lower credibility and give the target defensive options. Actions need to be thought through first. They have already mentioned taking out Assad's air force and have now launched approx. 60 Tomahawks. If they are sure Assad is responsible and can no longer work with him then targeting him is likely the best COA in the future. After this preliminary strike he should figure out that we mean business. Forget the usual "power vacuum" argument that has hamstrung operations in the past; such as with Aidid in Somalia and others. If so compelled they could let him know his days are numbered unless he ceases with the behavior. After that use PGM's from platform with lowest probability of US kill or capture. Whether it's drone munitions, SLCM(s) or other if he can be adequately lazed they will have a high probability of success. Any successors will likely be more receptive to abiding by rules and the matter will work itself out internally. The Russians should figure out that it's not in their best interest to be closely embedded and take a less aggressive stance with their support of any future regime.

People keep saying "now they know we have a leader who will act."

Odd but Obama asked Congress for permission to conduct strikes in Syria in 2013 and the Republicans said no.

Just one of many articles from 2013: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/world/middleeast/syria.html

"Although Congressional leaders hailed his decision to seek the permission of lawmakers who had been clamoring for a say, the turnabout leaves Mr. Obama at the political mercy of House Republicans, many of whom have opposed him at every turn and have already suggested that Syria’s civil war does not pose a threat to the United States."

Nothing has changed in the last four years. This isn't the first time children have been killed in attacks. So what's changed in the opinions of these Republicans who are now hailing Pres Trump? Pres Obama was willing to strike Syria but he wanted approval from Congress first which should be done in these situations. Now they don't even care that he didn't ask for permission but "informed" them. Yes that's all the Pres has to do if using the War Powers Act.

Plus there are tweets from Republicans in 2013 who say "stay out of Syria it's not our problem" and now they say "Good job Pres Trump. We need to show them we mean business." But why not four years ago? Really nothing has changed in Syria since then to warrant this except a change in the presidency. That's it.

Does anyone truly think that this will stop Assad or will make anyone else view the US differently?

In 1998 Pres Clinton ordered missile strikes in Afghanistan after the Kenya and Tanzania bombings and to get bin Laden. Retaliation and to stop further attacks were the reasons for this...but what happened just three years later? 9/11. So it would seem in that case that the strikes ultimately backfired and didn't prevent further attacks.

Why do people think that more violence and war is going to cure or stop the current violence or war? You think a dictator really cares about that - especially when it sounds like they were warned about the attack and had time to move equipment?

If the government removes Assad who replaces him? Or are we going to create yet another power vacuum in the Middle East and embroil ourselves into yet another quagmire? We have yet to finish Afghanistan or Iraq. 16 and 14 years at war and we haven't had enough?

The time for action was when this civil war started - now nothing is going to really stop it. The US government needs to stop intruding in affairs in the Middle East because it does nothing but create bigger messes. Deposing leaders - even dictators - isn't our job or our business.

Remember the last time we removed a dictator...

Simply curious as to how Soviets will respond. Putin seems to have threatened consequences on the US if we interfered.

I hope so because if not well just have to prove them wrong in their doubts once again. That is something for us to live with especially our military personnel.