U.S. Still Wants Syrian President Assad Gone, But They Do Not Care When

Washington Post: Kerry says Syria’s Assad has to go, but U.S. is flexible as to when

LONDON – Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Saturday that the United States is willing to negotiate the conditions and timing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down from power, and urged Russia to convince him to negotiate his exit.

Kerry, who is in London before flying to Germany to discuss the refugee crisis engulfing Europe, called for a renewed diplomatic effort to resolve the conflict in Syria, which he said was as urgent a need as fighting Islamic State militants.

“We’re prepared to negotiate,” Kerry said at a news conference with British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond. “Is Assad prepared to negotiate? Really negotiate? Is Russia prepared to bring him to the table and actually find the solution to this violence?

Update: U.S. says Assad must go, timing down to negotiation -- Reuters

WNU Editor: This Kerry plan is not going to work, and the reason why is that John Kerry is more focused on the process rather than tackling the hard issues and decisions that need to be faced and agreed upon. Russia and Iran are also wise enough to not fall into this "process trap",  and in the case of Russia they are backing-up their position with the following actions .... Kerry: Russian Fighter Jets in Syria Raise Serious Questions (NYT). My prediction .... Assad will be removed from the Presidency if only the following happens .... (1) he is assassinated (which will probably happen one day), (2) his allies and associates in the Syrian government/Army force him out, or (3) the rebels and the opponents of his regime have defeated his army and they are now approaching his bunker.