When is a red line more of a grey area?

[kandrathe]

The scenarios were analyzed a long time ago. They have 60+ locations with various precursors, etc. Air war options are bad, since many of these weapons depots are in heavily populated areas. Even with precision strikes, you might release the very holocaust you are trying to prevent. Ground options are bad too, bringing 75,000 to 100,000 US soldiers and equipment into an active civil war where all (more than two, maybe four sides here) would just as likely attack you. In the ground scenario, it is likely that the Syrians would go ahead and "use it or lose it" on the US troops.

And, this is Barrak "we're getting out of Iraq, and Afghanistan" Obama.

This is much more like a room full of gasoline, and your only weapons are matches. I think the rhetoric of crossing the line was bluster, and everyone knows you're not going to light the match.

In a fit of irony though, Syrian's hacked the Onion.