Obama Calls for Syrian President Assad to Resign
- Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:21am by
Buck Sexton
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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama called directly Thursday for Syrian President Bashar Assad to resign, saying the brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters makes the heir to a long Middle East family dictatorship unfit to lead.
It was the administration’s first explicit demand for Assad to step down and was accompanied by an executive order freezing all Syrian government assets in the U.S. and targeting the country’s lucrative energy sector.
The move was coordinated with the United Nations and with U.S. allies in Europe and the Middle East and followed an intense diplomatic campaign to increase pressure on Assad. The European Union issued an identical call shortly after Obama’s statement, followed quickly by similar words from the leaders of France, Britain and Germany.
And just before Obama made his demand, U.N. rights investigators said Syria’s crackdown “may amount to crimes against humanity” and should be referred to the International Criminal Court.
In a written statement released by the White House, Obama said Assad had failed to follow through on promises to reform and instead escalated a brutal crackdown on pro-reform activists that rights groups say has killed nearly 2,000 people since an uprising against his regime began five months ago.
“His calls for dialogue and reform have rung hollow while he is imprisoning, torturing, and slaughtering his own people,” Obama said. “We have consistently said that President Assad must lead a democratic transition or get out of the way. He has not led. For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for President Assad to step aside.”
“It is clear that President Assad believes that he can silence the voices of his people by resorting to the repressive tactics of the past. But he is wrong,” Obama said.
U.S. officials acknowledged the move is not likely to have any immediate impact on the Syrian regime’s behavior. But they said it would send a powerful signal that Assad is no longer welcome in the international community. And they noted that the additional sanctions would further boost pressure on Assad and his inner circle.
To that end, Obama also authorized the administration to impose tough new sanctions aimed at choking off Syrian revenue from its lucrative oil and gas exports. The authority allows the Treasury Department to freeze the assets of Syrian state-run petroleum companies in the U.S. and bans Americans from doing business with them.
The sanctions “further tighten the circle of isolation” and “strike at the heart of the regime,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in televised remarks from the State Department.
The order immediately bans the import into the United States of any Syrian petroleum or petroleum products. Syria is not a huge source of oil for the U.S., anyhow. But if European allies join the effort, it could significantly affect one of the regime’s top sources of revenue. Syrian crude oil exports go mostly to European countries such as Germany, Italy, and France, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency.
Obama’s order also denies Syria access to the US financial system, freezing all Syrian government assets that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction. It also prohibits any U.S. citizen from engaging in transactions with the regime, investing in the country or exporting services to Syria. Under the order, the Treasury Department also could impose sanctions against persons who give support to Assad’s government.
The U.S. had already hit more than 30 Syrian regime officials, including Assad himself and members of his inner circle, and firms, with sanctions. It has also lobbied other nations to take similar steps, something Clinton predicted would come soon.
“It is time for Assad to get out of the way,” she said.
As Syrian protesters have called for an end to his regime, Assad has sent tanks and ground troops to retake control in rebellious areas. The military assault has escalated dramatically since the start of the holy month of Ramadan in August, with Assad’s forces killing hundreds and detaining thousands.
Until Thursday, the administration had said Assad had lost his legitimacy and that Syria would be better off without him. But it had stopped short of demanding his departure. Officials said the administration had waited in order to rally an international consensus behind the call.
The administration had planned to make the announcement last week but postponed it largely at the request of Syria’s neighbor Turkey, which asked for more time to try to convince Assad to reform, and because Clinton and other officials argued it was important to build a global consensus that Assad must go.
The United States is also trying not to appear highhanded or meddlesome in a region where sensitivity to U.S. motives is high. Some of the Syrian protesters demanding an end to the Assad regime also reject any new alliance with the American government.
“We understand the strong desire of the Syrian people that no foreign country should intervene in their struggle, and we respect their wishes,” Clinton said. “At the same time, we will do our part to support their aspirations for a Syria that is democratic, just and inclusive, and we will stand up for their universal rights and dignity by pressuring the regime and Assad personally.”
Clinton on Tuesday had publicly questioned the effectiveness of the United States acting alone.
Since then, however, the coordination strategy appears to have borne fruit.
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement Thursday that “the EU notes the complete loss of Bashar al-Assad’s legitimacy in the eyes of the Syrian people and the necessity for him to step aside.”
At the same time, British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement saying that Assad should “leave power in the greater interests of Syria and the unity of his people.”
Earlier Thursday, a high-level U.N. human rights team in Geneva said that Syria’s crackdown “may amount to crimes against humanity” and should be referred to the International Criminal Court. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is expected on Thursday afternoon to urge the U.N. Security Council to make that referral.
The investigators say they found “a pattern of human rights violations that constitutes widespread or systematic attacks against the civilian population.” In their report, they said they had compiled a confidential list of 50 alleged perpetrators at “various levels” of Assad’s government. Syria insists it is rooting out terrorists but rights groups accuse Syrian troops of killing more than 1,800 civilians since mid-March.
Jordan’s foreign minister said Thursday that his country is “angered” and “extremely worried” by the killings of civilians in Syria and Switzerland recalled its ambassador. A day earlier, Tunisia recalled its ambassador from Syria, following the lead of several other Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, that the U.S. has been lobbying to show displeasure with Assad.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday compared Assad to Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi for refusing to heed calls to change. Turkey has joined calls for Gadhafi to leave power and Erdogan said Wednesday he had personally spoken to Assad and sent his foreign minister to Damascus, but “despite all of this, they are continuing to strike civilians.”
In New York on Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke to Assad demanding the immediate end of all military operations and mass arrests. In response, Assad said military and police operations had stopped, according to a U.N. statement said.
But the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which documents anti-regime protests, said Thursday that Syrian troops had shot dead nine people in the central city of Homs on Wednesday night. Another rights group said Assad’s crackdown also killed nine people elsewhere in Syria on Wednesday.
—
AP White House Correspondent Ben Feller contributed to this report.
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Comments (178)
LukeAppling
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:56amMore misdirection from Obama-take a vacation after two and half years of failure and then distract us by calling for Syria’s thuig to resign-who believes anything about Obama. If the lamestream media had covered anything honorably about him he would never have been elected. We know in Chicago what a fraud both he and his wife are.
Report Post »db321
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:55amWe really should not blame the Downgrade of our credit on Obama – he inherited America’s triple A rating from Bush.
urrybr
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:50amWhy doesn‘t someone demand that O’bummer step down? We’re about sick and tired of him.
Report Post »madasblazes
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:45am“may amount to crimes against humanity” and should be referred to the International Criminal Court.
Dear International Criminal Court,
Report Post »Obama has violated the Constitution of the American People.
He is ruling like a dictator.
Fraud has been committed to place his minions in office.
He has sold guns to Mexican drug cartels and has killed American citizens as a result.
He has ruined our economy and devalued our currency.
He is stealing from the citizens.
He has entered wars without the vote of our Congress; again totally against the Constitution of the United States of America.
He has turned on our greatest friend Israel.
He has brought turmoil, unrest, wars, and opened our borders to allow more criminals into our country. We are stressed, distressed, and in unrest.
Please remove from office immediately.
Thank you,
America!
lisalake
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:44amWhen will he do this??? After VACATION!!!????
louise
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:44amHere we go again. obama saying another leader has got to go. what are we up to now? 5-6 wars going on at the time? I have lost count.
Report Post »Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:49amAssad responds; Obama should resign for foremost being and idiot and secondly, not knowing what the hell he is doing……Obama is a war monger……
Report Post »db321
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:52amHow about it’s time for Obama to go.
Report Post »BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:53amI was going to say the same thing. To my count we are at war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and with Mexican Drug cartels.
Most, if not all, of these are ideological. Which is why we are not getting anywhere because we have long ago stopped using logic in this country. We traded it for political correctness.
Report Post »eyestoseeearstohear
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 11:35am@ LOUISE
YOU TOOK THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH.
” HERE WE GO, AGAIN!
I’m SO sick of this UNCONSTITUTIONAL POTUS telling EVERYONE ELSE TO “ STEP DOWN”.
HE’S THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE THROWN OUT & CHARGED WITH TREASON.
HE is IN-ELIGIBLE to be POTUS…because of his NON-CITIZENSHIP STATUS.
Report Post »becker88
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 11:48amGod please not another war… that is the last thing we need.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »Marcobob69
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 12:14pmBashar Assad should tell Barry that he will resign as soon as Barry resigns himself. Works for me!
Report Post »fastfacts
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 12:21pmANOTHER USELESS CALL TO RESIGN FROM OUR ‘BRAVE’ PRESIDENT…
According to http://www.americanparchment.com:
He waited and waited, then finally called for Mubarak to resign… MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD TAKES OVER
He called for Gaddafi to resign… WE HAVE BEEN IN LIBYA FOR OVER 150 DAYS, NO RESULTS.
He now calls for Assad to resign… NO RESPONSE
JUST ANOTHER USELESS CALL BY THE PRESIDENT
Report Post »becker88
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 12:37pmThis really scares me.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 12:47pmMaybe he’s aiming for an even dozen simultanous undeclare wars.
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:43amAssad needs to step down so the muslim brotherhood can take over Syria as they will in Lybia, as they have in Egypt. Obama’s vision of the middle east is starting to shape up. Waiting for change in the black neighborhoods of America?, sorry to say it was never about you, it has always been about the middle east for Obama. I guesse you would have to attend school in Indonesia to get it.
Report Post »Carol Ingian
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 11:00amYou are right! The black people have been used. They have to watch out and not get sucked in by the muslims recruiting in this country.
Report Post »javasport
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:42amHey Obama, you first!
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 11:09amAmen! Out with the dictators
Report Post »An AmericanMom
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 1:33pmChristmas comes early!
Report Post »LOJ
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:42amObama is trying to change the Middle Eastern regimes, so what takes their place, something worse and more evil such as the Muslim Brotherhood?
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:42amObama needs to stick with the ice cream cone. He’s an idiot….. No one will listen to the lame duck.
Report Post »semihardrock
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:41amA message from one REGIME to another!
Report Post »boomboom
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:47amNewsFlash~~~
Syrian president calls for O’Blame-a to resign.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:39amNo, except when Moochelle tells him to.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:35amBarry offered his buddy Basher a job (to beef up his employment stats) as Dissenter Elimination Czar. Bash seems to know well how to eliminate the competition.
Report Post »MBA
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:34amIn related news: Assad is laughing his * s s off. First at obamy then at the liberals who elected him and believe his change is good.
Report Post »PavZilla
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:31amI like it better this way:
Syrian President Bashar Assad says the time has come for President Barack Obama to resign for the sake of his brutally repressed people
(sigh)
Report Post »BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:45amI get your point, but it’s not fair to compare Obama to Assad. I fear our day may come, but we are not there yet. Just sayin.
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:31amI’d love it for the rest of the world to call for President Obama to resign ;-)
Report Post »netmail
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:30amNow if Assad would call on Obama to resign, I’d be cool with that. The two can have a nice, little, global ‘cat fight’ about who goes first.
Report Post »trolltrainer
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:29amTrollTrainer calls for President Obama to resign!!!
Report Post »On The Bayou
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:29amAnd in case you can`t hear Mr. Obama we`ve been calling for you to step down now for quite some time.
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:29amThis is absolutely comical. Thanks, Mr. President, for making yourself and, in turn, our country, the world’s laughing stock.
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:34amHere he goes again – meddling around in places we have no business being in.
Report Post »Hisemiester
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:29amWho the hell does Obama think he is? Some foreign leader should demand Obama resign. This black serpent thinks the world is at his bidding, at another thought, maybe it is. Obelial.
Report Post »GaryInTheMiddle
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:28amYou first Obumble.
Report Post »Fly Old Glory 24/7 365
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:27amtime for Assad to call for the resignation of BHO. I say they go out as a team. Yeah, we could have one big party when both of these losers leave office.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:41amPut Asaad and O’Bury-Us pics side by side and notice how they resemble one another. Neither one seems to be of this world. Beam them up and out together….
Report Post »On The Bayou
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:27amHey Obama these people don`t care what you want, your the weakest President this country has ever seen.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:27amno one cares about obama, but how great GB just “banned” RINOs and Boehner from RESTORING COURAGE, they are nothing but democrat-lite!! they are preventing Congress from attending in Israel .. to find FACTS about how threatened Israel is… for pure politics.
Libby Tarian
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:36amYeah, I wondered why it took so long for Glenn to ‘get it’.
Report Post »Depublicans are part of the problem for the demise of this country.
MODEL82A1
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:44amGlenn Beck “banning” John Boehner from his Restoring Courage event is akin to me “banning” President Obama from my next birthday party.
Report Post »Libby Tarian
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:26amI would prompt the Syrian president to say, ” Obama, I will resign when YOU do.”
Report Post »President as acted stupidly again.
Libby Tarian
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:34amObama did not like that the Hondurans ran their president out of the country. Zeyala was “Changing” the Honduran constitution, Obama loved Zeyala. The people had the military go to the Presidential mansion and remove Zeyala in his pajamas and they transported him across the border. Obama went crazy and brought our diplomats? back from Honduras and cut off aid to the country. This happened in the summer of ‘09.
Report Post »On The Bayou
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:41amyes I remember Hillory Clinton was in on that also and at that time people were like no not our president he`s not a communist and neither is Hillory Clinton.
Report Post »