Seriously though, I think the US and Russia should order a ceasefire in X days, and any parties not prepared to abide by such terms should be treated as enemies of the peace. That would include ISIS (obviously) but also any pro- and anti-Assad factions and groupings. From then on, play good cop, bad cop with Russia to oust Assad and give him exile, install a transitional leader in Syria from the current ruling party to prepare for elections in X years, send targeted drones after the leadership of factions still fighting in Iraq, prepare for an independent Kurd state and try to reform Iraqi governance under non-stupid means (i.e. no al-Malaki/Shia supremacists). In the long term, gather the leadership of Iran and Saudi Arabia and continually bash their heads together until they agree to wind down their childish feud; and generally blockade MENA dictatorships/rebel groups from arms imports.
no fly is basically garbage
Lots of good ideas, but like Frodo's, you've got to get Russia and Iran to play ball in getting rid of Assad, and they are not going to do that and we're too soft to properly pressure them into anything. I do agree getting rid of Assad would be huge, but we lost our opportunity to do that when Russia got seriously into the game. Should have done it two years ago....hell, should have done it decades ago, but whatever. His wife was so nice!
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