Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has drawn criticism from leaders of neighboring nations, most notably those in the Arab League, for his iron-fisted crackdown on dissenters in his country. On Monday, King Abdullah of Jordan ramped up the pressure on Assad to step down by expressing his lack of faith in the Syrian government in its current form and telling the BBC he thinks Assad should go. –KA

BBC:

Arab leaders have increasingly criticised the crackdown in Syria after months of violence.

Both the Saudi and Qatari ambassadors left Damascus in protest at the repression. The Arab League voted on Saturday to suspend Syria’s membership.

However King Abdullah went further than other Arab leaders in his exclusive interview with BBC World News television.

“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,” he said.

Read more

 WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...

This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.

At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.

Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.

Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.

Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.

Donate now.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG
In this Article:
#arab league#arab spring#bbc#egypt#jordan#protest#syria