do you think president bashar assad will resign, step down? vote in the online poll on the home page, foxnews.com/specialreport. results after this break. ♪ [ slap! slap! slap! slap! slap! ] [ male announcer ] your favorite foods fighting you? fight back fast with tums. calcium rich tums goes to work in seconds. nothing works faster. ♪ tum tum tum tum tums >>> every week, viewers vote for your choice online. in our friday lightning round poll. this week, president obama's vacation, won with 43% of the votes. we talked about it before and back with the panel. what about it? the first full day and the images and in this environment, steve? >> they are going to try to control the images but i don't think it will matter. the problem is he is tone deaf on the issue of sarah palin said yesterday. the real problem is if you talk to people and spend time outside of washington, d.c., you talk to people, people are really struggling. people, you know, at virtually all economic levels. people who are middle class miles per hours, who might have jobs, tig

and europeans faster to put pressure on the regime of bashar al-assad.here are more things to do and we haven't been willing to do them start economic sanctions and visa bands and say he should go. >> will that get him out. these bands and the statement he should go? >> we'll get him out. look, he runs a minoritiy regime. most of the chief officers are allowights . they are suppressing a population that is overwhelming sunni . how do you get those in the syrian army to realize their interest is not in the continuation of the assaud family rule. you have to say either you turn against the regime or a war criminal six months a year down the road. you are saying that kind of thing. we are not saying that and we are not sending an important symbolic message to the syrian people themselves, too. it would matter if president obama says the time has come for president assad to leave. they will transession to a future. >> it occurs to me that the arab world is not looking real good. they are in real disarray there. the syrian situation makes the whole thing wors

lately hama has evolved into the new epicenter of opposition to president bashar al assad. weekly protests here have drawn crowds in the hundreds of thousands but were no match for syrian tanks, what appeared to be a preemptive strike ahead of the islamic holy month of ramadan. >> this was either an attempt of the regime of bashar assad to out and out crush this movement or an attempt to intimidate. >> reporter: borzun daragahi with the "los angeles times" reports from lebanon because foreign journalists are banned from syria. >> this was an area in 1982 struck extremely hard by bashar assad's father who was attempting to crush what he described back then was an islamic uprising against him. >> reporter: in a statement president obama vowed to increase pressure on the syrian regime and stand with the syrian people, people who even as night fell in the besieged city continued to protest in silence. after a day of violence and bloodshed. whit johnson, cbs news, washington. >>> elsewhere in the middle east, egypt's chief prosecutor summoned ousted president hosni mubarak to ap

bashar assad issued two decrees to give more right to the political opponents.le activists said the death toll from this week's crackdown in hamas has now topped 100. dominic di-natale has details. a warning here, some of the pictures in the report may be disturbing. >> the latest images are gruesome and chilling. a truck parked on overpass. the wounds so bad we can't show them in detail. were tossed in the river and left to flow downstream. a youtube page says they unloaded them -- [ inaudible ] the media reports the men are protesters prevented by the government from holding funerals. >> on state tv they broke from the rhetoric to make this announcement. >> citizens of the arab republic have the right to establish political parties. >> effective today new laws from president bashar assad ending a five-decade ban on political opposition. faving the way for elections. legislative and local, but not presidential. the tanks continue to fire on the crowds. widespread rejection of the forum. on the internet, an activist said, "we are the free people call on you to p

until now, president obama had criticized syrian leader bashar assad, but stopped short of insisting he step down. that ended today, when the president issued a statement that said of assad: "his calls for dialogue and reform have rung hollow while he is imprisoning, torturing, and slaughtering his own people. the time has come for president assad to step aside." secretary of state hillary clinton followed up with a statement of her own. >> this morning president obama called on assad to step aside and announced the strongest set of sanctions to date targeting the syrian government. these sanctions include the energy sector, to increase pressure on the regime. the transition to democracy in syria has begun, and it's time for assad to get out of the way. >> brown: the sanctions will also freeze all syrian government assets under u.s. jurisdiction and bar financial transactions with syria. the obama administration had worked for weeks to shore up support for today's step. and canada, britain, france and germany swiftly followed with their own demands that assad give up power. and invest

russia has continued its calls for the syrian president bashar assad to end the bloodshed and implement promised reforms this comes as human rights activists report at least seven more people were killed as government forces continue their crackdown on protesters are caesar in a delusion as in syria reports that the contras political violence is now putting its religious harmony in danger. protests in syria start out with political slogans . and violence breaks out people come to blows over issues of faith not politics. with more than four thousand years of history damascus like the rest of syria has been home to modern faith for centuries but with an increasing political unrest nany are starting to wonder whether this could upset the delicate balance of religious tolerance in the country for now who is enjoying the quiet comfort of her home like most christians in the country it's a lie she's been used to since her childhood but then i was growing up in a place with christians jews muslims and everyone got along just fine we still do actually but it's not like this everywhere more than

of president bashar assad and said a very clearly he supported the resistance and some people don't like that or right just very briefly what's happened in libya this is the unthinkable from assad's point of view but really is it a lesson for him and could it in fact spell extremely precarious and dangerous future for him from what he's seen is happening to gadhafi just very briefly. i think it's two different situation and leave nobody really like. boring people who wanted to see gone. to a different situation i don't think this one minute fast. but i would say if the situation in damascus is. different the months that could be crucial for president bashar assad but i don't think he will survive this. difficult experience ok thank you so much that's all we've got time for a couple was and thank you very much indeed for joining us. you're welcome. other news now here in r.t. this is. the former head of the i.m.f. has been cleared of criminal sexual assault charges but a new york court. has the details. khan has been cleared of all sexual assault charges that were filed more than two mont

parties and elections in this country and russia believes that external pressure on president bashar assad could only deteriorate things here on the ground and could hamper our transition to democratic states so russia's position is to give assad chance to prove itself at the same time russia has all the time to reach rating that eve present our side doesn't keep his promises in that case the international community should react let's not let's not listen to what the officials are saying and that the. syrian leadership needs time to implement its reform program put significant steps towards the already been taken to the state of emergency has been lifted off the higher courts of state security was abolished the decree allowing citizens from peaceful demonstrations was accepted syrians should negotiate not fight and the opposition as well as the regime is responsible for making that happen if you. i have to say that russia's delegation is due in damascus very soon on saturday we expect them here tomorrow to try to find out exactly what is going on here on the ground and to see how assad is

>> we urge those countries still buying syrian oil and gas, and those countries still sending bashar al-assad weapons, those countries whose political and economic support give him a comfort to in his brutality to get on the right side of history. president bashar al-assad has lost the legitimacy to lead and it is clear that syria would be better off without him. >> the european view shared by britain is that refusing to by syrian oil and gas with ordinary syrians before harder than the regime. some supporters of the opposition say tougher sanctions are the way forward. >> perhaps, if the eu gets on board these oil sanctions, that might concentrate the mind of bashar al-assad to stop killing people. >> for now, the syrian regime shows no sign of changing course. it is still relying on force against largely peaceful protests and judging by less to be the only way to hold onto power. -- judging violence to be only way to build on to power. >> more than 8000 have been wounded since the uprising began in february in libya. 3000 are thought to be civilians. we reported on a six-year- old girl had

for the syrian president to step down comes just hours after president bashar assad has announced that the military operation here in syria is over and have promised more reforms we witnessed the army withdraw. we've seen at least thirty tanks live in the city and inside the city we haven't seen any ministry laught police has returned to duty meanwhile we are receiving reports and the raw media reports that based on the information received protestors and local residents that's the army is still. on the ground in latakia and even the reports that. the soldier is firing from type to time to peaceful demonstrators but i have to emphasize and this is very important that these reports are very hard to verify because international journalists are not allowed to move freely here in the country as the syrian government because it's dangerous. reporting for us there from damascus now staying with the story the european union is to prepare plans for an embargo on syrian crude oil it's also suspended assistance to damascus by the european investment bank james denselow a middle east analyst base

number two bashar al-assad is closely aligned with iran. qaddafi dew point have any friend out there, bashar al-assad has a big friend in the ruling marty in iran and that also means he has a lot of protection. the word has gone out if somebody wants to try to military intervene inside syria to stop this violence that's killed more than 2,000 people, you're not just picking a fight with bashar al-assad, you're picking a fight with iran too and that is something that could very easily start a regional war in the middle east. jenna: that examination the story, leland thank you very much. a story we'll continue to watch. jon: that dramatic shift where rebels say they control tripoli sets the stage for new leadership in the country. straight ahead national reaction from world leaders, and who takes over? tritional needs can go up when you're on the road to recovery. proper nutrition can help you get back on your feet. three out of four doctors recommend the ensure brand for extra nutrition. ensure clinical strength has revigor and thirteen grams

you've got france, germany, and the uk just moments ago coming out and saying bashar al-assad has losty and he needs to face the reality. so it's important that the u.s. is acting in lock step with the rest of the world and really isolating bashar al-assad. analysts i've spoken to though says syria doesn't really care what the u.s. has to say here. these sanctions will bite but it's not going to be enough for him to shift his policy. what's important here they say and what we're hearing out of the white house today on syria is this is also a message to the syrian people, the u.s. is with you. and also a big encouragement to the opposition, as well. will bashar al-assad stand down because of the u.s.' statement in unlikely. >> zain, another question for you as we continue to follow the markets here. i know you're following the markets, as well, overseas. and the international reaction. dow industrials continuing to tank now in negative territory of 502 points. zain, as we watch these numbers and as you've been following the breaking news out of syria, as well, you know, what is -- could

this week pressure has been mounting again on the syrian leader bashar assad the u.s. and european leaders called for him to step down but russia refused to support the motion saying assad should be given time to implement promised reforms this comes in the wake of the crackdown on regime protesters but as artie's marie financial reports from the front line while the west sees the government's action as oppression some in syria see it as liberation. job is done the city liberated there is or in lease of the country has become the last syrian city of hama left after clearing off extremists have been terrorizing the citizens for weeks the military claimed. hundreds blocked their weights put up barricades it became a case we were hiding we were just like hostages. soldiers of the syrian army i live in the city of the iraqi border. officials are saying operation is now over there the city has been freed from groves as you can see people are welcome in the soldiers as the waiters. tanks have been trying to make their way through jubilant crowds thousands of kilometers away i

crowds thousands of kilometers away in the white house a decision has already matured president bashar assad is the one who's terrorizing the syrian people and that should and the transition to democracy in syria has begun and it's time for assad to get out of the way not everybody has agreed that moscow has insisted that assad should be given time to implement promised changes his recent decisions to release political prisoners repeal emergency law and allow peaceful demonstrations have indicated the right direction but external pressure could still bury a fragile transitional. reforms will give sister syria it will make the country stronger but syria's enemies don't want syria to be strong america for instance are sick and tired of a strong syria and they want to weaken as they don't want they need instability in the country. and there is pressure works. with contradictory reports about policemen and security officers killed across the country and the army is continuing crackdown on protesters despite president assad's pledges to the un and his top military operations the syrian people no

for the syrian president to step down comes just hours after president bashar assad has announced that the country operation hundred three is over and has promised more reforms he witnessed the army withdraw. we've seen at least two tanks live in the city and inside the city we haven't seen and in military laughed police has returned to duty meanwhile we are receiving reports and the run media reports. based on information received from protesters and local residents that the army is still. on the ground in latakia and even the reports that. the soldiers our firing from time to time to peaceful demonstrators but i have to emphasize and this is very important these reports are very hard to verify because of international journalists are not allowed to move freely here in the country as the syrian government has because it's dangerous. but james tense though a mideast analyst to king's college london says the oil embargo that the e.u. has put in place could be a decisive move against syria. the americans have been very clear they know their influence and ability to change their behavior

russian believes that external pressure on president bashar assad could only deteriorate things here on the ground and. as transition to democratic state at the same time russia has all the time to reach rating that eve present our side doesn't keep his promises in that case based social community to react to russia's delegation is a jew is a mask is very soon on saturday to try to find out exactly what is going on here on the ground and see how assad is full feeling these promises while the situation on the ground he is here it is very complicated and i have to emphasize that the call from the u.s. and e.u. call the syrian president to step down comes just hours after president bashar assad has announced that the military operation in syria is over and have promised more reforms we've witnessed the army is troll we've seen at least thirty tanks live in the city and inside the city we haven't seen any ministry lacked police has returned to duty meanwhile we are receiving reports and the run media reports that based on information received from protesters and local residents that's th

if you say you want a government like bashar assad's to go but you're not prepared to do anything other than a modest increase in sanctions, in effect, that's giving assad and his iranian cohorts license to continue the brutality inside syria, to continue the killing, to do what it takes to stay in power, basically. martha: it's a big moment in this whole discussion, and for the people on the ground in syria. we'll see what happens. ambassador john bolton, thank you very much. >> thank you. martha: we appreciate your opinion on this. bill: it's a great question, why syria would listen at this point, too, 1700 dead, others, as he suggested, saying over 2000. martha: and democracy, does that embolden them to have the backing of the president of the united states, that he wants to see the ouster of assad and whether these sanctions will hurt the people more than they help that democratic movement, all those big questions today. bill: we saw how qaddafi answered for months now. >>> my next guest says the president needs direction not a vacation. so what to do on jobs? the big issue in ameri

should the president of the united states say it's time for bashar al assad to step down? >> you're absolutely right that bashar al assad is using a great deal more violence than used in egypt. we've said, and we have been very clear on this. we do not view bashar al assad as indispensnsle. we do not view his continuation in power as important to american interests. we view him and his government as a source of instability and source of violence in syria. i think our views are very clear. the president has said, his government will be left in the past. the meaning is clear, christiane. >> many americans watching this unfolding, say, well, look, the united states joined a coalition of a no-fly zone, military intervention in libya, for instance. there's no such thing on the horizon as syria. can you explain that? >> the libyan situation is very different from what we had in syria. but probably the first and foremost thing in my discussion, moving around the country and talking to people, even in hama where there is this atrocity going on righthtow. even in hama. when i talk t

obama to make the same demand of bashar al-assad a sponsor of terrorism. ive months an estimated 1800 syrian civilians have been killed. asked about the contrasting approaches u.s. officials say they have enacted punitive measures on bashar al-assad and each country will change its own way. john mccain, the ranking republican on the armed services committee called steps by the u.s. good news, but added, better late than never. rick: for more on this let's bring in jonathan shanzer from the foundation for dense of democracies. i can't imagine johnathon, bashar al-assad hearing what president obama had to say today, and saying, all right i'll go. what is the purpose of a statement like this. >> it's an important shift by this administration. we have been standing by while 2,000 people were killed and 3,000 people have gone missing and are presumed dead. it's important we get on the right side of history. i think senator mccain is right. better late than never. i wonder what prompted this. it was a bloody weekend but not more bloody than the last five months.

for the syrian president to step down comes just hours after president bashar assad has announced that the military operation here in syria is over and have promised more reforms means we can assist the army is a troll we've seen at least thirty tanks live in the city and inside the city we haven't seen any ministry lacked police has returned to duty meanwhile we are receiving reports and the run media reports that based on information received from protesters and local residents that's the army is still. on the ground. in the top here and even the reports that. the soldiers are firing from time to time to peaceful demonstrators but i have to emphasize and this is very important that these reports are very hard to verify because of international journalists are not allowed to move freely here in the country as the syrian government has because it's thanks. james corbett as that independent news website says russia can play a key role in preventing the situation in syria from repeating what we're seeing in libya so extremely important right now to to watch how russia's position in this

the major european countries have syria's president bashar assad to step down and impose a fresh set of economic sanctions when it comes in response to the regime's a violent crackdown against protesters the same winds have been sent as this special u.n. security council meeting on syria is taking place in new york has been a point neither has more. not only has the u.s. president called for the syrian president to step down he has backed up his words with action and that action includes issuing an executive order thursday morning with fresh sanctions against syria and now according to the new sanctions that have been signed by obama all americans and u.s. corporations are now prohibited from investing operating or having any business dealings with the syrian government this includes a ban on imports and exports including cereal syrian oil and petroleum products additionally all the syrian assets under u.s. jurisdiction will be frozen so clearly this is some more mounting pressure coming from the u.s. government in terms of financial you trying to corner syria shortly after president

18 people just yesterday, president obama has issued a long-awaited call for syrian president bashar assad to step down. president obama said assad has been imprisoning, slaughtering and torturing his own people. secretary of state hillary clinton has this to say earlier. >> the people of syria deserve a government that respects their dignity, protects their rights and lives up to their aspirations. assad is standing in their way. for the sake of the syrian people, the time has come for him to step aside and leave this transition to the syrians themselves. >> nbc's mike va caviqeira. >> bashar assad has refused to step down. the brutal crackdown with just 18 dead yesterday has continued a pace. whereas the obama administration had been very careful not to exert undue influence or being seen as trying to pull the strings in syria, today the dam just broke and they came forward explicitly asking that president bashar assad step down after he and his father have ruled syria for some 41 years, tamron. over the course of the last several weeks and months, we've heard the administration use phra

towards do you think well the other thing they're saying is that as far as everyone is concerned bashar assad has to step down but beyond that there's no real agreement amongst the opposition groups and they're all being pulled in quite a few directions so the opposition in a sense is it's becoming much more varied and more and more voices are coming out but i think the vast majority of syrians i've spoken to would welcome there to be some form of dialogue and there is this great fear that things can spin out of control very very quickly ok then let's talk about sever forms that a new media law has been implemented in syria essentially ensuring freedom of the press and do you believe this step is significant i mean does it show and the country's leadership is really ready to implement promised reforms. well i think they have to now because the thing is that i don't think these reforms are particularly aimed at the people demonstrating i think the people demonstrating what's interesting is over the months hearing their slogans change from their morning reforms to demanding the fall of the regi

now listen to what bashar ja'afari has to say about what's happening in his country. >> mr. ambassador, today president obama called for president assad down saying "the future of syria must be determined by its people, but president bashar al assad is standing in their way. his calls for dialogue and reform have run hollow while he is imprisons, torturing and slaughtering his own people. for the sake of the syrian people, the time has come for president assad to step aside". how do you respond? >> i think this is an unacceptable statement coming from an important heavy weight administration in the world affairs. we were expecting the american administration to go in a different direction, actually. >> do you deny, though, that your president, his government has imprisoned, tortured and killed thousands of syrian citizens in the past five months alone? >> i deny categorically and une equivalent okayally all these wrong references to bloodshed and killings taking place in my country. the way they are described by the media. >> we've seen countless videos of children with broken bodies returned after weeks in detention. we've seen peopl

me tonight the obama white house is now prepared to explicitly call for the syrian president bashar al assad to step down. the call for regime change the sources tell me is planned for later this week, after united nations security council meeting on the syrian crisis set for tomorrow. these administration sources say the call for assad to step down will be packaged with new treasury department financial sanctions designed to tighten the screws on president assad, his family, and syrian businesses with close ties to the regime. human rights activists say at least 2,000 people have been killed in the regime's brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters over the past several months. as the crackdown has played out, the administration has gone from urging assad to stop the violence and implement reforms himself to of late saying the dictator has lost legitimacy, but until now the administration has stopped short from demanding he yield power. here's how the u.n. ambassador to the united nations described assad's behavior right here on this program last week as she promised to push for more a

looked up to bears a special significance for syria and for the president bashar al assad his father is from a village near the city in which the population is predominantly elevated just like the rest of the province the protests began here in march of this year this is one of the main buildings this is one of. main squares in the city of latakia syria tel headquarters located on the right in the middle of it syria tell us a company telephone company which was owned by one of the cousins of the president and the protesters expressed their hatred towards the regime by looting the place and then burning it violence returned to talk again just a couple of weeks ago claiming more than thirty lives and government protests broke out in the sunni part of the city officials said they were battling with armed groups which they say have infiltrated the area now what's the story here the story goes according to the protesters according to the opposition answer majority of the midwestern media sources is that there were warships stationed right here in this bay and they were shelling the sunni

now listen to what bashar ja'afari has to say about what's happening in his country. >> mr. ambassador, today president obama called for president assadstep down saying "the future of syria must be determined by its people, but president bashar al assad is standing in their way. his calls for dialogue and reform have run hollow while he is imprisons, torturing and slaughtering his own people. for the sake of the syrian people, the time has come for president assad to step aside". how do you respond? >> i think this is an unacceptable statement coming from an important heavy weight administration in the world affairs. we were expecting the american administration to go in a different direction, actually. >> do you deny, though, that your president, his government has imprisoned, tortured and killed thousands of syrian citizens in the past five months alone? >> i deny categorically and une equivalent okayally all these wrong references to bloodshed and killings taking place in my country. the way they are described by the media. >> we've seen countless videos of children with broken bodies returned after weeks in detention. we've seen p

much of the western world spoke in unison, saying bashar al assad, the president of syria, must go. at least 2,000 syrians were slaughtered when they attempted their arar spring. so, today, germany, france and england joined the u.s. >> the people of syria deserve a government that respects their dignity, protects their rights and lives up to their aspirations. assad is standing in their way. >> and there is a sense in which this is a shakespearian drama playing out. i once went to meet assad. the british-trained doctor who once fueled so much hope for his country. there was a time when so many people thought maybe he was different. this new leader in the middle east with his glamorous wife. both of them english-speaking. she could speak french, too, and studied computer science. even worked in new york for morgan stanley bank. he had always been the quiet, reserved son who never expected to rule. that job was reserved for his glamorous older brother. it was always understood that he would be the one? >> it was never planned that anyone was going to be successor. >> reporter: instea