This Admission from a Syrian Official Might be the Point

According to Syria's deputy prime minister, Qadri Jamil, the civil war is at a stalemate, and the Assad regime will call for a ceasefire at a conference in Geneva. I had been wondering if there was any point to arming the rebels in Syria when it looked like the best that could be accomplished was a push, but if recent diplomatic events have helped the regime see the futility in escalation and the desirability of trying for some kind of resolution, I have to see that as a positive sign.