where we need to go in the long run in syria is some kind of a de facto partition and cease-fire. there is talk about ousting assad. that s not going to happen. we re stuck with assad. we can perhaps achieve a de facto cease-fire. john kerry was pleading for leverage to hepa chil help achi. he wanted the ability to use military force and hold something against putin. now the state department has leverage. we don t have an administration that believes in diplomacy or secretary of state who may be up to the task. what you see as leverage, others see as the start of a domino effect. what will russia s response be? what will iran s? you think as we sit here, the u.s. has the upper hand at this hour? i think russia does not want to escalate. i think there are real advantages of trying to ground