NEW : At least 89 people are killed across Syria Thursday , opposition activists say . The toll is the highest since protests began in March 2011 and comes as President Bashar Assad has vowed to crush any attempt by his opponents to topple him. But the stronger the radical groups become , the more the United States worries that the fighting -- not political efforts to find a solution -- will decide the outcome in Syria . Panetta says intelligence `` raises serious concerns '' about chemical weapons . A top Russian politician says Syria `` is not up to the task '' to do its job . Clinton meets with the U.N. special envoy to Syria and Russia 's foreign minister .
NEW : At least 89 people are killed across Syria Thursday , opposition activists say . The toll is the highest since protests began in March 2011 and comes as President Bashar Assad has vowed to crush any attempt by his opponents to topple him. Panetta says intelligence `` raises serious concerns '' about chemical weapons . A top Russian politician says Syria `` is not up to the task '' to do its job . Clinton meets with the U.N. special envoy to Syria and Russia 's foreign minister .