Barack Obama wants options on Syria. “The president has asked all of the agencies to put forward options—some familiar, some new—that we are very actively reviewing,” said Anthony Blinken, deputy secretary of state. But force is not an option, since according to the White House there is no military solution for Syria.

“We’re trying to pursue the diplomacy,” John Kerry told a group of Syrian opposition activists in a meeting whose proceedings were leaked last week. To that end, Kerry wants some credible threat of military force—not, of course, to force the Russians to bend to American power. After all, as Kerry has insisted, “We remain absolutely convinced there is no such thing as a military solution.” No, all they want is to make the Russians a bit more agreeable to American pleas for mercy. In any case, Obama rejected Kerry’s proposal. Force is not an option, even if it’s just meant to get Moscow to the table.