This argument doesn't refute anything. All it demonstrates is that succinctness is not the only thing that enables a language to be powerful. I'm not sure any

This argument doesn't refute anything. All it demonstrates is that succinctness is not the only thing that enables a language to be powerful. I'm not sure anyone has ever made that claim. The fact that there are other things, such as sensible syntax, that can affect a language's power should come as a surprise to no-one.