Targeting......Syria......And The 5 Rings

[uwew]

Not really deterrence, but:

Leadership: Give Assad and his family an exit option. Due to sanctions and the threat of facing trial
in the Hague, they cant go anywhere and have to fight to the end with all means at their disposal.

Population: Give Alawites and Shiites a survival option. They face danger of elimination from Sunni islamist groups.
Their best bet now is staying loyal to Assad and his family.

[omarali50]

SPOT ON.
Any strike that does not target the leadership and any policy that does not include a VERY serious effort to figure out how to protect the Alawites and Christians in the aftermath is immoral and is going to create more problems than it solves.