Think forward. They have no exit strategy. This could be their Vietnam;-}
#5. No. This is not their Vietnam. THe terrain is different. The opposition is fragmented, not centrally controlled from abroad (i.e. Hanoi ran the VC, the Pathet Lao and the early Khmer Rouge), or even centrally united in-country.
Syria has unlimited arms and air aid from Russia, and ground forces from Russia, Iran, Lebanon (Hezbollah) and possibly even Hamas.
Why have an exit strategy when you are winning and will eventually control most, if not all of the country of Syria, its ports, airfields, and even some key mountain territory?
Iran is just posturing. They don’t care how many men they lose, just as they didn’t care in their war against Iraq in the 1980’s.
They are in a good position now and in the foreseeable future. Why spoil a good thing?
Once Obama chickened out (as planned) over his fake “Red Line” in Syria, Russia and Iran knew that they were going to win. Obama’s treason sold out another country to the conquerors.