US toughen its stand against Assad

US toughen its stand against Assad; says he must go

Claiming that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad is losing hold of his country's territory, the US has asked the Arab leader to remove himself from power.

"Assad must go. He needs to understand, as he's seen, as he's losing hold of territory and of his country, that the violence is not the way to resolve this. He should remove himself from power," Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Mike Hammer told reporters at a news conference organized by the Washington Foreign Press Center.

"Those around him who are not prepared to take on the kinds of actions and egregious crimes against their own people - against the Syrians - should follow course and abandon him. This is a situation that is, of course, of supreme concern in terms of what is happening around Aleppo," he said.

The US, with a number of other countries, is now focused on what happens next, how to prepare Syria for a day without Assad and a day in which all the different ethnic groups can come together and to form the kind of government that is representative of the Syrian people, he said.

"Not only the United States but a number of countries around the world, close to 100 who are very critically focused on the grave situation in Syria in making every effort that we can to urge an end to the violence and to begin a political transition, which is the best way forward. "

“The Annan plan provided a basis for it that people agreed to support, but we were unable to, as you know, at the UN, get the last resolution through due to a double veto by China and Russia, that would've brought consequences to a lack of inaction by the Assad regime," he said.

"Our focus is to support the opposition with nonlethal means. I understand they're meeting today in Qatar. They're looking to see how to move forward to try to create the kind of environment in Syria that will allow for the Syrian people to achieve their aspirations to live in peace, security, and have their rights respected. Unfortunately, that is not happening fast enough," Hammer said.

Hammer's remarks came hours after the White House said that Assad's days are now numbered.

"We need to move quickly to look at what Syria can and should be in a post-Assad world, work with our partners, work with the opposition to help create that transition, because Assad's days are surely numbered," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told.

"As we've seen, it's clear that he (the Syrian President) is losing control of Syria. The momentum against the Assad regime continues with defections throughout the government. As we have seen in recent days, increasing numbers of formerly pro-regime Syrians, officials in the government, ambassadors to foreign countries, military personnel, high ranking military personnel are recognizing that to stand in solidarity with Assad is to stand against the Syrian people. "

That's why it's time for the Syrian people and the international community to focus on what comes next, as I said," he added.

Carney said the US is continuing to work with other nations and the Friends of Syria, as well as other international partners, to provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people, provide assistance to the opposition as it tries to form itself and unify.

"But it is a point that you made that is worth noting, that there is an ongoing assault happening in Syria that demonstrates once again the depravity of President Assad and his regime. The fact is they're using artillery and fixed-wing aircraft, there were reports of that, as well as helicopters, against a civilian population center," he said.

The Obama Administration, he said, is in conversations and discussions all the time about Syria both internally and with its partners and allies around the world at the United Nations, at the Friends of Syria and elsewhere.

"Our focus is on continuing to pressure the Assad regime, continuing to draw attention to the need for a peaceful transition. The fact that the longer Assad is in power even as his grip on power diminishes, the more violent and chaotic the situation in Syria becomes," he said.

"We will continue to work with our partners to provide the assistance that we have been providing, humanitarian assistance, non-lethal assistance to the opposition, consultation with the opposition as it forms itself. "

“This is all towards the goal of a transition that guarantees fundamental rights in Syria, of all Syrians, including minorities. That is a critical element of any transition in a situation like this, and it is a priority of the United States," Carney said.