by John Glaser

But even if these claims are sincere, it’s not something Washington is likely to be able to control following airstrikes that carry unforeseeable consequences. And then, the messier it gets, the more the U.S. will own the problem.

“The U.S. and its allies can certainly conduct an operationally successful air campaign in Syria,” said Karl Mueller, author of the RAND report. “But each of these aerial intervention options has the potential to escalate or expand the conflict, and could lead to unwelcome responses from Assad’s allies or to wider or deeper U.S. military involvement.”