It's tough. I didn't have time to watch the video but I would agree with the democratic opinion that any kind of occupation is not the solution. It is apparent that a regional power will be needed to defeat IS and Assad for the matter. But here's a look at how the politics are currently: Kurds (most effective against Isis) are productive on the ground, taking areas in northern Iraq from ISIS close to Mosul in northern Iraq. They however are aligned with the PKK, a group labeled as terrorists by the U.S. and currently being bombed by turkey in Iraq, Syria and turkey. They also want independence to be their own country, something that isn't on the table. Hashd al-shabi: aligned with Shia Iran, using this force will encourage the Isis claim of Sunni vs. Shia Iraqi security forces: corrupt, untrained and ill equipped, their defaults lead to Isis ability to occupy Iraqi territory in the first place. In Syria YPG: Kurdish militants, they are pro Assad and reside in northern Syria. They've shown resilience against Isis, defending the towns of kobane and tel abayad. PKK aligned, U.S. Has provided air and arms support in their fights already. FSA: a deteriorating force that has lost much territory and man power to Isis, their first objective is to defeat Assad. U.S. Has offered support, however most of their arms end up being sold to enemy factions for money. Assad: a dictator, Assad has committed genocide and massive war crimes. Bombing civilians, and torturing political prisoners are his things. His main allies are Russia and Iran, who have both repeatedly stated they will not let him fall. The U.S. Has recently opened up to the idea of cooperating with him, but the two share no similar views, and Assad has recently lost land and men to Isis. Hezbollah: a military group of great political influence in Lebanon, this group has a small presence in Syria and supports assassin military directly. Iranian backed, they have no interest in pairing with the great satan - America. None of these options sound promising. The best bet would be a Sunni coalition of middle eastern allies to occupy and defeat Isis. Only problem is a coalition is currently attacking Yemen, and any occupying force would predictably fail at providing stability after leaving as the U.S. has. For the U.S. - the best bet (in my amateur opinion) is to increase the amount of air support provided to Iraqi military, as well as increasing the size of training programs. Close and direct influence over the army, along with advising the Iraqi military would also be beneficial. Properly equipping trained and monitored Iraqi units would provide a good way allow local forces to reclaim and maintain land. Local Sunni tribes should play a role and be part of all offensives / missions holding new territory. Covert missions to remove Isis leadership like the one executed on Abu Sayyaf recently. Top leaders like Abu Omar al shishani, adnani, and Abu wahib would provide great military targets and remove public figures. No matter what, an increased role for Sunni nations should still be vital to debunk the Sunni vs. the world claim Isis is making. I honestly can't find any one good idea for Syria, it's such a screwed up place currently. Finally, Murcia.