Leon Panetta: US military planning for greater role in Syria conflict

[gratuitous]

5. Interdicting the flow of weapons into Syria is clearly out of the question

The only solution the American imagination can ever come up with is more and better weaponry. The arms merchants pocket a lot of coin, the popular media get to send in reporters and camera operators to win their "war correspondent" credentials, and the undertakers do a lot of business, so as I said, why not?

If Panetta is testifying before House Committees, the decision to invade has almost certainly been made. All that's left is the timing. This administration is following in the path laid out by the previous administration in ignoring inconveniences in quaint old documents, so the public will be sold on the absolute necessity of invasion, the vital strategic importance of Syria (heretofore unknown), and how much it will hurt Iran for Syria to be occupied by our star-spangled troops.