lot and still have people who will maintain what isis -- the credence of isis. so i think there is -- >> but that ideology takes root -- >> absolutely. >> where there is a government -- a vacuum of authority. >> and there will be a vacuum of authority. when it -- when and the american troops do pull out, we're going to leave it -- basically an open space for russia and iran who have vested interests there, both of whom support al assad to take root there. we're going to have -- it will be more space for more jihadist groups to grow and to develop. and also i think it just -- it is sending a signal that the u.s. is not go willing to be involved in the middle east and leaving it to saudi and israel to clean up this mess. and you're right to say, had assad not fired on his own people and later chemically gassed his own people, this wouldn't have happened or had we sent an early warning sign to him very early on and said, you will not get away with this.