When the United States says "jump," Syria says.... - Daniel W. Drezner

http://drezner.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/08/18/when_the_united_states_says_jump_syria_says


When the rest of the policy quiver has been exhausted, sure, why not call for Assad to leave?  As a general rule, all else equal, I see no reason why the U.S. government should not express its actual preferences rather than hide behind diplomatese.  Or, as Douglas Adams would put it, this rhetorical move counts as "harmless."