Gates Questions Assad Legitimacy after Syria 'Slaughter'

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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates piled pressure on Syrian President Bashar Assad on Friday, saying his very legitimacy was on the line after the "slaughter of innocent lives".

"The slaughter of innocent lives in Syria should be a problem and concern for everybody," Gates said after a speech in Brussels.

"And whether Assad still has the legitimacy to govern in his own country after this kind of a slaughter I think is a question everybody has to consider," he said.

Referring to the wave of revolts against dictators across the Arab world, Gates added: "There clearly is a dividing line in the Middle East between the rulers who are prepared to slaughter their own people to stay in power and those who are prepared to transition (out of power)."

The United States threw its weight Wednesday behind a U.N. Security Council resolution proposed by Britain and France that condemns Syria for its brutal crackdown on opposition protesters.

But Russia, one of five veto-wielding members of the council, said Thursday it was opposed to any resolution on Syria.

Assad's regime has come under mounting international pressure over accusations of massacres of pro-democracy protesters and rights activists.

His army launched Friday a crackdown on what the regime described as "armed gangs" in the flashpoint town of Jisr al-Shughur, where authorities say 120 police and troops were massacred earlier in the week.

Opposition activists and various witnesses, however, say the deaths resulted from a mutiny by troops who refused orders to crack down on protesters.

Pro-democracy activists vowed more countrywide protests on Friday.

Anti-government demonstrations erupted in March and more than 1,100 civilians, including dozens of children, have been killed in the ensuing crackdown, human rights groups say.

Comments 4
Default-user-icon MUSTAPHA O. GHALAYINI (Guest) almost 13 years

an american emissary is in france and going to germany to convince these two powers to accept turkey in the european community,second: to general command of nato ground forces was transferred to turkey,it is a question of time b4 u see turkish forces entering syria like what happened in lebanon in 1976.
it will be nato ground forces with nato air power cover.
n.b.the lebanese gvmt can wait,fakhamto has the upper hand now,in 3 /6 months,fakhamto will have full power,"heaven can wait".
BILAD EL ARZ PREVAILED.

Default-user-icon Cham (Guest) almost 13 years

Mr Gates i think you should mind your on business because you have no clue about whats happening in SYRIA...
These aren't peacefull protesters, these are terrorists and fanatic's and gangs who need to be dealt with and dealt with by brutal force..
These are fanatic's who call for the destruction of our churches and the kidnapping and killing of Christians and Alawite's, But America doesn't care because these grubs are funded by the Saudi's and the Americans don't dare to critise the Saudi's.....WHY? because they will cut off the OIL SUPPLIE"S to America....
GOD BLESS SYRIA AND LONG LIVE BASHAR

Missing bigdigg almost 13 years

Mr. Gates, all this pressure will not change Syria's position vis-a-vis the Lebanese resistance one iota. Also, if you want to be credible, you should say something about the legitimacy of the rulers of Bahrain, Yemen, etc.

Default-user-icon MUSTAPHA O. GHALAYINI (Guest) almost 13 years

"tahaluf el akallyat" is finished,act accordingly,and stop crying.
BILAD EL ARZ PREVAILED.