Some People Just Want to Win

I've noted before that our plans to arm Syrian rebels has faltered on the idiocy that we would ask rebels to fight and die not for victory, but for the purpose of putting diplomatic pressure on Assad to negotiate. Russia has a similar problem, really, if the administration expects Russia to pressure Assad into negotiating:

But what if, reassured by the military and diplomatic support of Russia and Iran, Assad and his regime have no intention of standing aside?

"Regardless of what the Russians might want, they are effectively supporting a victory operation on behalf of Syria and the Iranians," said Jim Jeffrey, a former top diplomat and senior adviser to president George W. Bush.

Yes, Assad might want to win.

That's the problem even if Russia isn't trying to help Assad win in his corner of Syria and is willing to sell out Assad personally (to preserve Russia's military bases in the northwest) by negotiating an Assad regime without Assad sitting in the front office.