Well What Was the Point of Opening Your Mouths?

Reassuring Assad should not be the jobs of Western leaders. But after seeming to edge closer to backing Turkish calls for humanitarian zones inside Syria, France and Britain are distancing themselves from that option:

The British and French foreign ministers say there are major obstacles to establishing safe zones for refugees within Syria, but that they are ruling out no measure yet.

But don't worry, Assad. If they haven't ruled out intervention, it's only that they haven't ruled it out yet. Shaking in your boots, yet?

If they are serious about having that option open, maybe they shouldn't try to maximize the chance that Assad will ignore them by minimizing the chance that Britain and France will carry out that option.