Should the US cease trying to remove Assad from power in Syria?

[ingemann]

Yes but it's more complex than that, USA have outside the support of the Kurds not been one of the important actors in this conflict. On the other hand USA's Middleeastern allies have been a important factor in this conflict against Assad, which is why USA (together with warmongers in opposition in Washington, who aren't happy without making the Middleeast burn) have had to pay lip service to the idea of removing Assad, while at the same time doing as little as possible to support their allies in their military adventures. Of course at the point we're at now Obama may get away with accepting the survival of the Assad regime, and honestly I can't see someone from the regime's side replacing  Bashar al-Assad who would be a more acceptable alternative.

[ingemann]

While I'm happy with the poll, I'm shocked that so many people here have learned nothing from earlier American intervention abroad. You should only intervene, if you have something on the ground represent your values or interests, if it's a clear improvement to the conflict or if USA are willing to keep a several decades long occupation with 1 soldier per inhabitants in the area occupied. none of these option are the case in Syria.

The rebels (Kurds not counted, because they're not rebels) are a mix bandits, Islamists, radical Islamists (Al Nusra) and the Islamist versions of the Nazi or Khmer Rouge (ISIS). In most of the conflict we have seen people mostly flee from rebel controlled area to regime controlled territories. In fact we more or less don't see people choosing to flee into rebel controlled areas, which tell us everything we need to know of the rebels. We have broad evidence of ethnic cleansing by the rebels, while evidence of ethnic cleansing by the regime is at best anecdotal. There's evidence of war crimes from both sides.

Just for kicks let's show a picture (safe for work) of a action by one rebel group.



That's captured Alawite civilians place in cages as human shields against Russian/SAA bombings.

Well that's the kind of people you support gaining power in Syria.