Is there really a distinction between arming the "rebels" in Syria to take out Assad

[Igel]

2. Yes, there is a difference.

It's the difference between having the US Army do something and hiring mercenaries that report to somebody else doing things in your name.

At least in Libya we might have provided the planes, bombs, logistics, supplies, and a lot of other things, but it was formally the French who were in charge of installing the weakling government that has failed, in the course of a year, to consolidate power. Yeah, it led to a bad situation in Mali, but the French, having bought that, also took posession of that problem, as well. Not that we like to think they're related in any way, shape, or form. That would be silly talk.

In Syria we'll be handing weapons to guys that we have a "personal relationship" with. Presumably we've looked into their eyes and saw their souls. Then again, in the last two years numerous "good guys" that worked with the current "good guys" were outed as truly bad guys. One month you're a good freedom fighter, the next month you're caught on video killing a captive and eating his heart. They have to hire a new PR firm for media, esp. social media, contol.