no point in striking ISIS unless you also set a goal to take down Assad, and act to achieve it. The Turks are right in their call for a "humanitarian strip" — 25-30 km into Syrian territory along the borders, and declare it a “no fly zone”, a place for refugees (there are several million of them) to assemble and where they can receive humanitarian aid. ¢ What hasn't been said explicitly is that such a deployment might lead sooner or later to engagement with the Syrian Air Force — followed by the Syrian Air Defense — which could develop into an opportunity to fundamentally change the balance of power and the course of the war against Assad's regime. And one insight: ISIS may not be as strong as it is being portrayed. A coherent ,intense, coordinated action during the next year or two, particularly HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028894