Syria then and now

Last year, Barack Obama and his Secretary of State John Kerry wanted to displace Bashir Assad as Syria's ruler. They sought to assist rebels opposing him, wanted to order air strikes on positions held by Assad's forces.

Now the west, including the U.S.,  is said to be covertly helping Assad.

Imagine the Middle East today if Obama and Kerry had their way last year. All of Syria today would likely be under Islamic State control, and its sweep into neighboring Iraq likely much farther along than it is now.