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Yo Marine.
Perhaps we shall end up going into Syria. In all due fairness to all our dialogs, we have to remember the Iraqi have been saying for a few months that they strongly object to us using their borders to attack Syria. Obviously this is a bunch of malerky at best. I am sure 2MARDIV is getting more pissed as the days go by, despite their up to date successes.
It would be interesting to find some mil sites that addressed the true conditions of the Iraqi border check points and their current abilities to patrol their areas. But I can see where that could be viewed as breaking OPSEC.
When my nephew's 2ND LAR returned in October, things along their remote far northwestern Syrian border where not heating up. One thing for certain, if push comes to shove, our army heavy armor will take the road net from Korean Village area/H3 airfields.... on the road that leads directly to Damascus some some two hundred and twenty miles linear distance to the capital from the road intersect fifty miles south of the Syrian border (30miles west of Ar Rutbah).
And if this happens, as you well understand, it is going to require a bit of armor and air support to roll up that road. If Bashar Assad or his military folks decided to oppose us, then it is going to become a blood bath. We will have to take out his whole airforce, G/A defense networks, communication nets, and all apposing Syrian forces. After all it is their Capital, and it is hard to believe they would just sit quitely and do nothing.
If we go in, Bahar falls and chaos starts. All those apposing political and religious groups go nuts, hack and whack time just like in Iraq most probably, so we then have two Iraqs to fight, and this new one may be more like a NAM conflict IMHO. Of course, how does one remove all the waring factions that will come into play throughout the whole country. This is why I have spoken against invading Syria in the past.
Perhaps in the weeks to come Bashar will be told his final decision is required. Is he going demonstrate full cooperation or not. Of course what he says probably does not mean much. For he could be willing but power players in the Secret Police/Military may have other plans. Who knows.

I'm not thinking going in with Ground. Air, air attacks, as you said, to take out their aircraft. Once that is done, it would just be about having enough bombs to drop on them.

But if we wait, they will - and I am sure at this very moment are - building up their air defenses and dispersing and hiding and doing everything to avoid hell from the sky.

Time is not on our side. Especially since we have allowed the Iraqis to choose Islam over Freedom. Now, every battle our heroes win is a win for Iran and Islam and every casualty we take is also.

Take out Iran and Syrian Air Power now, or pay a higher price later.