[Nachum]

Assad is a Baathist a la Saddam Hussein. He hates the west and plays us for fools while killing his neighbors too. We are idiots to even consider dealing with him.

[Vigilanteman]

Maybe the impending neck stretching his buddy Saddam is scheduled to get will cause him to reconsider the wisdom of supporting jihadis.

[jveritas]

Agree 100%.

[hinckley buzzard]

This is the profound arrogance and cynicism of self-promoting dealers like Baker. They have had their prices met, and assume everyone else has a price which can be met as well. Assad is no einstein but he probably knows the risks of "flipping" better than prima donnas in their law offices in Washington.

Just what, after all, do we have to offer him that would be worth the risk to him? Golan Heights? Israelis might have something to say about that. I don't think we could deliver, even if we wanted to.