Really? Assad's threat if we attack is to warn of a "regional" war?
Because if we (and France) attack, just who in the region fights with Assad?
Iran? Not bloody likely. They are happy to fight to the last Arab, but won't risk precious Persians in battle with American.
Hezbollah? Their best are already fighting with you.
Face it, making this a regional war means bringing in Jordan, Turkey, Israel, and anti-Syrian factions in Lebanon into the war against Assad.
The notion that intervention will lead to a regional jihadi threat ignores that the jihadis are stronger because we delayed our intervention. If we crush Assad and help a new Syrian government take power and help them fight jihadis, jihadis will no longer have a sanctuary in Syria as they do now, which allows them to destabilize Iraq. You can hardly argue that President Obama wouldn't be willing to unleash the drones over Syrian territory to kill al Qaeda thugs.
So that's Assad's plan? Recruiting the firing squad that aims at Assad?