US puts pressure on Syria’s President Assad
The United States imposes new financial sanctions on Syria and appears to edge closer to calling directly for President Bashar al-Assad to quit.
The Treasury Department in the United States has expanded sanctions against President Assad and his inner circle, adding Syria‘s largest commercial bank and mobile phone operator to the blacklist.
The White House reasserted President Barack Obama‘s view that Assad has “lost legitimacy” and Syria “will be a better place” without him, but stopped short of specifically calling on him to leave power.
However, officials suggested that the President is close to taking that step after months of international condemnation of brutal crackdowns on protesters in Syria.
Human rights activists estimate that up to 1,600 people have died as a result of President Assad’s efforts to crush an unprecedented uprising against his 11-year rule.
The White House has been cautious but could act after pressure on President Assad increased in recent days, even coming from other Arab leaders. The United Nations and Russia have also threatened further action against Syria if reforms were not put in place.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said: “Through his own actions, President Assad is ensuring that he and his regime will be left in the past.”
But when asked whether Obama would this week directly urge Assad to leave power, Carney said: “Any future announcements or things that the President might say, I’ll leave to that time.”
