It is hard to predict what might follow the ouster of Bashar al-Assad , analysts say . Syria 's warning it could use chemical weapons against foreign attackers prompts alarm . Some fear Syria may descend into sectarian violence , destabilizing the region . TL;DR The U.S. and its allies have been bombing ISIS targets in Iraq for months.
It is hard to predict what might follow the ouster of Bashar al-Assad , analysts say . Syria 's warning it could use chemical weapons against foreign attackers prompts alarm . Some fear Syria may descend into sectarian violence , destabilizing the region . Syria 's military is likely to play a key role in how events pan out .