It Is Now Clear that The United States Wants al-Assad to Go

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made America's position very clear yesterday in remarks she made about the Syrian situation. She said that al-Assad is no longer a viable leader and that he should hold no false hopes that the United States thinks he is vital to regional stability. 
Separately, America is considering taking the attack of the American Embassy in Damascus to the UN Security Counsel.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair echoed these sentiments in a CNN interview, saying that he thinks al-Assad should step down.
That leaves little need for word chopping to arrive at meaning. The meaning is clear. Al-Assad must go.
The question then becomes who will replace him? I certainly do not favor the Syrian regime's form of government by terror, and I would not want even one more Syrian protester to be killed or arrested and tortured by al-Assad's security forces. But, there have been more than forty years of Assad family domination in Syria. The protesters want freedom and a better, more responsive government. They want the right to decide their own destiny.
But, where are the political leaders who will make the dreams become reality? This is the critical question all over the Arab Spring countries.
Egypt is easing toward the formation of political parties and agendas. Tunisia is trying to do the same, but it is slow work because the Tunisians don't seem to have the needed political skills or patience. Libya's civil war, while not something to be considered as good, has at least given the freedom fighters time to organize, find leaders, set political agendas and thus be ready to govern when Qadhafi is gone.
What will the Syrian marchers do? Who will they turn to for leadership? How will they keep nearby Iran from co-opting the process and leading them into another despotic situation? Can the UN and the West help the Syrians without provoking a serious dispute with Iran, one that could become a nuclear confrontation? Will Hezbollah stand by and let Syria slip from its sphere of influence?
I hope Secretary Clinton and President Obama have the answers to these questions because they will probably need them soon.