If you are thinking this is about chemicals and not about proxies, read this.

[rug]

"It would be the biggest strategic setback for Iran in 20 years, when Assad falls," Mattis said. "Not if, but when. He's going to go."

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/06/syria-will-get-worse-before-it-gets-better/

[HooptieWagon]

1. Yes, a setback for Iran and Russia.

However, handing over a country on NATO's border to al Qaeda is probably a bigger setback to the US.

[rug]

2. Ousting Assad has been a goal for at least 18 months.

A higher priority in Syria than al Qaeda.

[HooptieWagon]

3. PNAC has wanted it for 15 years.

Be careful what you wish for. Syria had been fairly peaceful from 1973 until 2 years ago...almost 40 years. I doubt a fundamentalist regime would refrain from violence that long. I foresee terrorist training camps operating within a year of them taking power. Right on the borders of NATO and Israel. Do you really think thats a preferrable scenerio?

[rug]

4. I think you misread me.

That's not my position.

[HooptieWagon]

6. Ah, OK.

Everyone agrees Assad has to go. The problem is whats next? Assad is only slightly preferrable to al Qaeda. The best solution, IMO, is to negotiate Assads successor with Russia. Let them pick their puppet, and keep Syria as a client-state. Then dealing with AQ and restoring stability to Syria is their problem. I'm guessing it will keep them busy for quite a while. In meantime, Syria is no threat to Turkey, Jordan, and Israel, and of greatly reduced value to Iran as an ally.

[NuclearDem]

5. It would only exacerbate the situation.

If Iran feels it's losing influence, then it has even more motive to funnel weapons and fighters into Syria.

[xfundy]

7. It's about money, it's about profit, it's about politics...

it's about oil.

African proverb:
When elephants fight, it's the ants that suffer. (And/or the grass, in some variations.)

Hello, fellow ant. Look! A french fry! Let us share.

[scarletwoman]

8. Obviously, I see it the same way:

Please understand, any U.S. military action in Syria means that we're being dragged into a proxy war

[rug]

9. I saw that and it jogged my memory.

When Gen. Mattis testified before the Senate on March 6, 2012, that statement didn't get much play but it's prophetic. Shortly after his testimony, he was relieved from CENTCOM six months early.