LEON PANETTA Inaction is not an option in Syria because if you stand back the situation is gonna get worse Look the best case scenario would be to have Assad step down to have a transitional government be able to establish itself representing each of the factions that are there the Sunnis the Kurds the Shias And then frankly have the Russians and whatever is left of the Syrian forces join with the United States in going after ISIS to truly defeat them That would be the best case scenario 