It’s easy to say we should have done “something” in Syria three years ago. That “something” usually means helping supposedly moderate rebels to overthrow Assad and form a decent, democratic government. Sounds lovely. Except for the fact that everything we’ve learned since 2001 tells us that it wouldn’t have gone like that at all.

Overthrow Assad and the place will tear itself apart even more thoroughly than it already has.

Don’t believe me? Look at Libya, the one place where Obama, worn down by bleeding-heart advisers, momentarily lost his way. Gadhafi was going to crush the rebels in Benghazi, so we intervened on their side and helped to topple the dictator. And didn’t it make us feel good! Except that the country, like Iraq, has ended up in anarchy.

Once again we hear: It could have ended so much better if only Obama had shown the requisite will! And once again, let’s say it’s true: If we’d sent in enormous numbers of troops to occupy the country, we could have imposed order in Libya.

But then what?