There are many ways to cause harm to Assad without entering the fight directly.
eg set up and arm a secular rebel army.
Killing Assad risks empowering the Al Qaeda rebels. We really don't want these rebels to win.
Bombing his palaces surely achieves nothing.
There's really no worthwhile outcome using missiles.
The Iranian angle was introduced by the administration to gain purchase. It's fairly irrelevant. Iran has a new administration with whom the US should hope to negotiate given time and patience.
Again, just because Obama bluffed doesn't mean there's a viable response. There really isn't. This isn't about the USA and its President. He needs to swallow his own mistake.
Bad luck if he made a mess for himself. The resolution isn't to go and do something pointless.
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