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    July 13, 2011

US President Sharpens Rhetoric Against Syria's Assad

   VOA News
   President Barack Obama (file photo)
   Photo: White House - P. Souza
   President Barack Obama (file photo)

   U.S. President Barack Obama says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is
   "losing legitimacy in the eyes of his people," and has missed
   "opportunity after opportunity" to present genuine reforms.
   Obama told CBS News Tuesday the Syrian government has perpetrated what
   he called an "unacceptable degree of brutality" on peaceful
   demonstrators protesting Assad's authoritarian rule.
   Syria has sharply criticized similar remarks by U.S. Secretary of State
   Hillary Clinton, saying her comments were "further evidence" of
   "blatant U.S. interference" in Syria's internal affairs.
   Clinton said Monday that Assad has "lost legitimacy" and is "not
   indispensable." She also said the U.S. has "nothing invested in him
   remaining in power."
   Meanwhile, fire damaged a gas pipeline in the Tayanah area of eastern
   Syria near the Iraqi border, but there were conflicting reports about
   what caused the blaze. The state news agency said a fire broke out on a
   pipeline that was under maintenance, while residents said a bomb
   exploded late Tuesday at the site.
   Also Tuesday, the United Nations Security Council condemned in the
   "strongest terms" this week's attacks against the U.S. and French
   embassies in Damascus.
   In his CBS interview, Obama said the U.S. has sent "a clear message"
   that "nobody can be messing with our embassy." He said Syria has been
   warned that Washington will take "whatever actions necessary" to
   protect its overseas missions.
   On Monday, loyalists to Assad mobbed the embassy compound, broke
   windows and briefly raised a Syrian flag. The U.S. State Department
   said Tuesday the embassy is operational, and U.S. and Syrian officials
   are working to repair the damage.
   Security guards at the French Embassy fired shots into the air on
   Monday to keep demonstrators from entering the grounds. Officials said
   three embassy staffers were injured during the unrest.
   The incidents took place after U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford and French
   Ambassador Eric Chevallier traveled to the flashpoint city of Hama last
   week to show solidarity with residents facing a military crackdown on
   dissent.
   In another development, Syria wrapped up a three-day session of a
   government-organized "national dialogue" on Tuesday. The state news
   agency says the participants issued a statement in which they said
   stability and a greater commitment to reforms are high priorities.
   Syria's main opposition groups did not participate in the talks.
   Rights groups say Syrian security forces have killed at least 1,600
   civilians during the crackdown, while the government blames the
   violence on terrorists and Islamists who it says have killed hundreds
   of security personnel.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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References

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