Syria: US Says Tide Has Turned Against Assad Regime

The US reiterated Tuesday that it was “very clear” that the “tide has turned” against Syria’s Assad regime and that the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s legitimacy has “run out.”

State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters that it is “incumbent on the opposition, as it comes together, to convince Syrian citizens of all stripes that they represent all of Syria.”

He added, “that’s certainly something in terms of their political evolution, that they’re going to have to address moving forward.” “What’s very clear, though, is that Assad’s legitimacy has run out,” he stressed.

Toner affirmed that it is up to the Arab League to decide next steps regarding its observation mission, adding that “we’re going to continue to work closely with them moving forward.”

“They’re going to issue a report, and obviously that report’s going to be very important in kind of assessing what comes next,” he noted.

Toner affirmed that “our intent here is to reach a resolution that holds Assad accountable and that continues to apply pressure on his regime.”

“We’re going to work to realize a draft resolution that holds the Assad regime accountable but also obviously supports the Arab League efforts in this regard,” he affirmed.

Furthermore, Toner said “to a certain extent, we’re pleased that the Russians have shown a willingness to discuss this, to work with us on this.”

Meanwhile, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters separately that “one of the signs of desperation” seen in the Assad regime is the fact that the head of the Quds force, Qassem Suleimani visited Damascus recently.

He added that “the fact that Assad is relying on essentially his last friend for support in his repression against his own people I think makes all the clearer that his time has come. He must go. He must step down.”