On the one hand, we can side with al Qaeda and overthrow one of the last secular leaders in the Middle East, while also angering that leader's close ally, Russia
OR
We can stay out of it.
You may see both sides as roughly equivalent, but I have no difficulty choosing a path.
I respect your opinion and never claimed the two arguments were equal. To me it isn’t as clear cut. In spite Assad being “one of the last secular leaders in the Middle East,” He is an Iran ally, enemy of Israel and willing to use sarin gas on his own people. he is no choir boy.