Might be a win for the US, Russia, and Assad.

[NCTraveler]

Please notice I said Assad, not Syria.

Putin makes Assad willing to broker a deal with the UN where his chemical weapons will be monitored, removed, and destroyed. The UN, working with Assad on this endeavor, will further legitimize the Syrian government in the eyes of the world. The US doesn't take military action in Syria. Putin continues to send Assad arms so the Assad regime will be stronger than his rivals. The only real loss is with the Syrian citizens who want the civil war to stop. So really not much will change except Assad will be legitimized more than he has been in months.

US win: We won't be at war
Putin win: He will have helped to stop a war all while removing chemical weapons from Syria
Assad win: Legitimized on the world stage while getting even more weapons from Russia

[yesphan]

1. What's Raytheon

going to do ? Poor thing .

[NCTraveler]

4. My heart goes out to them as well.

I am sure they will be able to sell the UN many new and wonderful devices to aid in whatever agreement Assad and the UN come up with. Their children need to eat too.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. For this to be a win for the US the president has to be smart enough to accept it.

I look forward to him stating the need to bomb Syria is diminished while our friends the Russians work through the details and the forces involved are returning to their normal stations.

[Avalux]

5. He will accept it, but still hold a stick.

This outcome (if it happens) was his plan all along; the part where Congressional Republicans vote NO just because they pledged to never agree with Obama is my favorite.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

8. From another DU poster --

Alan Grayson: Obama Is Going To Struggle To Even Get 100 Syria Votes in The House

Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson doesn't think that President Barack Obama will get 100 votes in favor of his plan for military strikes in Syria — even after the public-relations blitz Obama will put on over the next two days.
"If you do the math, what you're seeing is that Democrats are 2-to-1 or 3-to-1 against among those who have already declared," Grayson (D-Fla.) said in an interview with Business Insider.

"That will remain true. The Republicans are more than 10-to-1 against. I think that will remain true. Project it out by party, and you'll see that the President is going to have to struggle to get to 100 votes here."

Grayson, who re-entered Congress this year for a second term after losing re-election in 2010, has become a leading force in what has been heavy Democratic opposition to Obama's plan for intervention in Syria.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/alan-grayson-syria-resolution-house-vote-whip-count-2013-9

If the goal was to display GOP intransigence then it would be helpful to NOT pick policies to which even Democrats and the general public are overwhelmingly opposed.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

7. The Russians are not our friends

In case you need reminding.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

9. Russia is not our friend. Russia isn't even Syria's friend. Russia is Russia's friend only.

But if Russia is robbing the WH of its case for war then what pretext would be the case for war?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

10. you are laboring on the wrong assumption that the current administration is looking for a pretext

to war. Prior to the "red line" being crossed, Obama wanted NOTHING to do with overt military action in Syria despite the manic ravings of McCain and others.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

11. Then the WH should withdraw the request for the AUMF

[Autumn]

3. Won't work, it seems there is a different "overarching goal" , regime change

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023630987

[NCTraveler]

6. I don't think we really have a unified goal.

That is why I have been opposed to sending missiles from the start. No plan, no missiles. Poor plan, no missiles.