The US should never have gone into Syria and should get out as fast as possible. There is no US National interest in Americans dying in Syria. Syria is not an American war. And keeping Americans there would turn to another Vietnam, setting American cities on fire over the deaths of Americans - Just like when the US learned that Vietnam was entirely based on lies.

Does it matter long term ? The Russians will eventually leave and be content with just the port, a friendly government in Syria, and access to the Med. The mullahs will wait for everyone else to go on home and simply pull Assad's strings. The West should stir up trouble in the mullah's own backyard.

Step one would be to create an anti-Iranian government in Iraq and support the anti-government protesters in Iran.