No matter what happens with the Syrian training effort, a second senior official told reporters that the administration does not believe Obama’s nearer-term attacks against ISIL will create an “opening” for Assad because the areas in eastern Syria controlled by the terror group aren’t immediately susceptible to seizure by government forces.

The officials declined to give an estimate for when operations against Syria could begin, when the Saudi training center might start operating or when the overall escalation Obama announced on Wednesday would be finished.

“This is something that will be taking place over a period of time,” the second official said. “We are going to continue to take the time to get this right.”