When is a red line more of a grey area?

[kandrathe]

... if it means we get another Islamic state like Egypt.

That wouldn't be the worst case scenario. Egypt still has some moderates who are willing (and have been standing up against) the fundamentalists. This keeps the ultra conservative fundamentalists in check, so its not like Taliban Afghanistan.

Syria is closer to Iran, so if the Lebanon type Hezbollah, connect the dots from Lebanon to Iran, then that is a worse scenario. They support Assad, but if his regime is ousted, they will attempt to take power in order to prevent themselves from being cut off from Iran. Then you'd have the beginnings of the Nasser style pan-Islamic state.

But, still, I think the nightmare scenario here is a Somalia type failed state with all Syria's arms and WMD's in terrorist possession.