"Are the Islamic rebels our allies? Will they defend American interests? Will they acknowledge Israel’s right to exist?"

This is the kind of war where you don’t really want either side to win…though what is happening to Christians there is shameful. I don’t know if there is a defined role for US, That’s a problem. Is it like a Korean conflict, where we hope for a draw at some point?

Steve, I agree. There really isn’t a defined role for the U. S. at this point. I think we squandered any opportunity for a potentially friendly regime a few years ago. I can’t really argue that having either side in charge once the war ends would be better for us, for Israel, for Christians on the ground or for a good many of the inhabitants. Sure, the spectacular mass deaths will no longer be front page news, but we all know the stories filtering out about the oppression behind closed doors in these radical Muslim states. Can we really argue that citizens in Iran are arguably better off because they have peace than citizens of Syria who are experiencing war? I have no problem with closely regulated humanitarian aid, but i am totally against any kind of military action at the moment. As far as I can see, both sides are currently anti-American, and it seems the best course to let the enemy of my enemy waste his strength fighting with my enemy.