Syria Weapons Deal Coming Apart

In case you’d forgotten, it was the initial Syria Mess which earned Dear Leader his Professor Ditherton Wiggleroom moniker — so Longtime Sharp VodkaPundit Readers™ won’t be at all surprised by this news:

The Obama administration, exasperated by stalled talks over Syria and seeking ways to pressure the regime and its Russian allies, plans to revisit options ranging from expanding efforts to train and equip moderate rebels to setting up no-fly zones, according to officials briefed on the deliberations.

The move means the administration again will consider military, diplomatic and intelligence options that previously were presented to the White House but set aside in favor of pursuing international talks. Growing frustration with the stalled diplomatic track in Geneva and with Russia’s refusal to exert pressure on the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to agree to talks over a transitional government prompted the move to re-evaluate U.S. options.

“There is a general sense that it’s time to take another look,” a senior U.S. official said of the military options, adding that high-level discussions at the White House could begin as early as this week.

So the Administration, having gotten into bed with Assad’s Russian guarantor is shocked to discover that the deal they thought they made doesn’t seem to be forcing Assad to do anything he and the Russians don’t want to do.

Perhaps the Professor should make an even tougher speech this time around. He could say something like, “I’m here to chew bubblegum and set some red lines, and I’m all out of red lines.”

I’d be embarrassed, but the Professor long ago wore out that response.