(Washington Post) Scott Wilson and Joby Warrick - Poil and petroleum products, an essential element of Syria's economy. resident Obama called Thursday for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign, backed by new U.S. sanctions designed to undermine Assad's ability to finance his military operation. "The future of Syria must be determined by its people, but President Bashar al-Assad is standing in their way," Obama said in a written statement. "For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for President Assad to step aside." Obama's first explicit call for Assad to resign culminated months of calibrated diplomacy that has included three rounds of sanctions and a gradual policy shift toward regime change in a nation long at odds with U.S. policy in the Middle East. The sanctions that the Obama administration announced Thursday prohibit the import of Syrian
2011-08-19 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive