Syria: Jordanian King Says Assad Should Resign

In reference to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Jordan’s King Abdullah told the BBC, “I believe, if I were in his shoes, I would step down. If Bashar has the interest of his country, he would step down, but he would also create an ability to reach out and start a new phase of Syrian political life.” Abdullah’s criticism came amid an announcement that the Arab League would suspend Syria’s membership Wednesday, which  Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem  called “an extremely dangerous step” and “illegal.” The European Union also decided to impose new sanctions against 18 individuals ”responsible or associated with the repression and supporting or benefiting from the regime.”

Joe Stork, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch, said that “Turkey can play a more active role in order to be more forceful in passing a strong UN Security Council resolution against Syria.” Meanwhile, Sasha Ghosh-Siminoff argued in PolicyMic that “it is unlikely anything but an [international] intervention will dislodge [al-Assad] and his family from power.”