there are basic principles on which bashar al-assad rules. obviously, he does not have very much -- or any -- legitimacy based on reform. there are many people in washington that thought he did, many people that carry water for him in washington and said he was a reformer. his legitimacy is based on what? resistance to israel. is the way he consolidated his regime in 2006. the question is, how can a regime that has no legitimacy based on reform, as military deployed throughout the country, and the protesters are still coming out, how is that guy going to sign on the dotted line with israel? he can sign it, but how is he going to implement it? and kick the ryans out at the same time? and distance himself a -- the at the samet time? and distance himself from hezbollah? >> i did not say sign on the dotted line. i said open himself up -- >> i do not think it is possible for him at the moment. could he do it down the road? perhaps. but nobody is biting. >> just on that point, paid advertisement. i would urge you to look at an essay that the genera

the same must be true of bashar al assad. but we still can't really break with him. want to read you just a little note and maybe jill may want to say something about this. this is from an exchange between jeffrey goldberg of the "atlantic monthly" and our chief diplomat, secretary of state hillary clinton. she's asked by jeffrey goldberg, would you be sad if bashar assad's regime disappeared? the answer, "it depends on what replaces it." it depends on what replaces it. so even american diplomacy as we point to the syrian regime and what it's doing on the border with israel, even american diplomacy hasn't seen fit to do the right thing, which is to declare this man, bashar al assad, a war criminal and to give him the same treatment we have given someone like gadhafi. >> jill, the president has given a speech on the situation in the middle east on thursday. do we have any indication that he's going to change his stance on syria? >> reporter: yeah, that is what -- that's what u.s. officials are telling us, that they are -- the president is expected to move closer and g

has imposed sanctions on syrian president bashar assad for human rights abuses all of this following the violent crackdowns on ansi government protesters and measures the first time president assad personally and restrict his access to property in the u.s. and prohibit anyone on american territory from dealing with him sanctions also apply to six senior syrian officials. the editor of an online a current affairs website says the situation in syria is still hiding some prices and that situation could go either way if a and inherently authentic domestic dissent is able to perpetuate itself and to grow as it did at least to some extent in egypt i think it is possible that the regime in syria is going to have to just pack up and go but this is very very tricky the key thing would be not to get involved militarily as they have the in libya. well when the people of egypt

washington has introduced a new batch of sanctions which for the first time target syrian president bashar assad is accused of human rights abuses following violent crackdowns on anti government protesters well the measures include an asset freeze on the prevention of american dealing with. the european union also agreed to tighten its sanctions against syria beyond the arms embargo which was already in place russia strongly opposes taking any more harsh sanctions against syria which could lead to a situation similar to that in the. by the lead their lives there's a cease fire there is the only condition for peace. i believe that despite the fact we still have problems two ways to resolve existing deadlock i mean the situation in libya which i believe can be settled and we can use for a week through the room so you should have the use of military force by both sides . are you going to check out some of the top stories from around the world and it is twenty seven people killed and seventy nine others. twenty. lose my cool it

i think it's clear that bashar assad is willing to slaughter his own people. the question is what can we do to affect the outcome? frankly, i don't see a military option. libya, they had a group of people who at least were semi- organized that we could support. the situation lent itself very much to the use of air power. obviously, increased sanctions, whatever pressures we can bring to bear. but it's going to be a very bloody time, i'm afraid, in syria. any illusions we had about him being a "reformer," let's not talk about that anymore. could i just mention one thing back on libya. i met with the transition national council. the finance minister is a he an economics professor from the university of washington. one of the members was in qaddafi's prison for 31 years. these are not al qaeda. they're people who wanted to rise up against a brutal and oppressive dictator. finally, i went to a hospital in benghazi. a ship had come from misrata with wounded.

community to come we are minutes early intervention in syria we have no answer to your president bashar assad's regime and that is why i think that all these bases are engaged in the get out don't want president bashar assad to mediate to have turnitin. at a very dangerous you creation of the region in the way and with that instead the center is that everything that we see or basically saying would be a little too hot to handle. well i think. that's according to you all the or most of the country that have the convenient starts in the united states i mean they made it clear the u.s. is itself that there have been facing a quagmire in iraq until a few time ago the same speed dating in afghanistan we've seen them in the media and then they retired a little bit because they saw that there was no exit that was evident and it was obvious in the lincoln case and that's why they don't want to go in with a risky strategy that wouldn't see any success in syria and that is why they prefer to leave the door open and p.v. it stands to reason the sharma's there is a suspicion though that regarding l

. >> president bashar -ass was shn on ste television frid at an officl fution. business as usual for a government that says it is taking decisive action agait teoris groups and arme criminals. he uted stas hadescbed th regim'rackdown as rbaric. the internatial cmunity will t come to serious aid a it d inibya. e armis -- to syria's aid it did in libya. the my itoopowerful. helpif i comes, will be from within. >> a short time ago, i did spk to relble srce in masc. to protect h safety, he cann named, bu isked him first about the current situation in thcapital. >> it is re o less you coul sayt is quiet. today, after friday prars, iedialy peoe to to the streetand ashed wit security men the police reacted by violen tear-gas and some violce to disperse therowd of otesters. as you say this h bee appeningever friday t som degreeandt seems to be getting rse. where do y see theituation deveping? >> the fact that this is happening in the hrtf damascus, the heart of the regime, moreopre paiciping in suchinds of protts. th is rlly showi tha ople are becomin more defiant. pele

the mask has flen fothe regime we now know bashar al-assad r what he is, ailler. we know tha his lovely wife the rose ithe desert, is also a fraud. we wouldove to see t falof this rgimeut they have strong sectarian routeots in the army. in the long run, thi regi is going to withstand thistorm >> this theeakns of the arabprin en it hits ainst sectarian rimeswhether in bahrain or yria where a minority els s back is agast the wall and has no where to go, we will he scenes le we have i syria and willot ha docra flour and ckably's. >>i think you are a student o the arabastnd there you have that. the sctarn ankle is te settg see of this regime. where there is n ctarianism, as w saw tme a egt, yocoul ve a democratic volution. when you tn to a placeike chra where a cy dysty is oppressing a shiit population or where te communy is preing a cine majority, you are fcinghe limits o the arab spng. the arabs bring has t its teston to brittleplaces -- in libya and fundamentally syrias well. >> moreewsrom theregion, ecurity forces in yeme have oped fire on anti-government proteste

. >> president bashar al-assad was shown on state television friday at an official function. business as usual for a government that says it is taking decisive action against terrorist groups and armed criminals. the united states has described the regime's crackdown as barbaric. the international community will not come to serious aid as it did in libya. the army is -- to syria's aid as it did in libya. the army is too powerful. help, if it comes, will be from within. >> a short time ago, i did speak to a reliable source in damascus. to protect his safety, he cannot be named, but i asked him first about the current situation in the capital. >> it is more or less you could say it is quiet. today, after friday prayers, immediately people took to the streets and clashed with security men. the police reacted by violent tear-gas and some violence to disperse the crowds of protesters. >> as you say, this has been happening every friday to some degree, and it seems to be getting worse. where do you see the situation developing? >> the fact that this is happening in the heart of dam

there are basic principles on which bashar al-assad rules. obviously, he does not have very much -- or any -- legitimacy based on reform. there are many people in washington that thought he did, many people that carry water for him in washington and said he was a reformer. his legitimacy is based on at? resistance to israel. is the way he consolidated his regime in 2006. the question is, how can a regime that has no legitimacy based on reform, as military deployed throughout the country, and the protesters are still coming out, how is that guy going to sign on the dotted ne with israel? he can sign it, but how is he going to implement it? and kick the ryans out at the same time? and distance himself a -- the at the samet time? and distance himself from hezbollah? >> i did not say sign on the dotted line. i said open himself up -- >> i do not think it is possible for him at the moment. could he do it down the road? perhaps. but nobody is biting. >> just on that point, paid advertisement. i would urge you to look at an essay that the general an

bashar , but we are also talkinwith the opposition.e are-- why we are having this dialogue with all the parties, we are preparing for the future, and if there will be duty on our shoulders to do something for the future, we would be able to do that. because we don'tant libya to be divided. we don't want syria to be divided. our concern is unity and integrity. this is our effort. >> rose: do you believe nato's gone too far? >> for the time being, nato's framework in libya is okay. i don't think nato has gone too far in libya. and nato is doing what it is supposed to do for the me being. >>ose: but you've asked qaddafi to sp do. >> these are different issues. we wanted that fro the beginning because our call to him was the following-- find a person who you want and who people of libya would want, recommend him as a leader, and then libya would not be in a difficult situation. because qaddafi was called by libyans -- >> he's a revolutionary leader rather than a head of state. >> that's how they regard him. and until the last moment, we wa

may god kill those who murdered him. >> in a rare mission -- admission of fault, president bashar al-assad said some of the security forces made mistakes during the anti-government protests. human rights groups says over 1800 people have been killed over the last two months. the syrian government news agency says that the violence in the border area is being carried out by armed gangs who have come across from lebanon. gunfire can be heard, and certainly some people have been killed and injured as they fled to lebanon. international journalists are not allowed into syria. it is difficult to establish exactly what is happening there, but the refugees insist that their story is correct, and they are blaming the syrian army for the violence. they say they have no idea when they will be able to go back to their homes. >> for more on the events unfolding in syria and throughout the arab world, i spoke with mark ginsburg, who formerly served as the u.s. ambassador to morocco. we have had the report, the we do not know exactly what happened in syria because we do not have foreign journalists ther

washington has introduced a new batch of sanctions which for the first time talk to soon president bashar assad he's accused of human rights abuses following violence crackdowns on antigovernment protests or questions including i said for a reason the preventing of americans dealing with assad and european union also agreed to tighten its sanctions against syria on the arms embargo which was already place based expert only however says it's unlikely to have any effect. i don't think sanctions work i think they are essentially a symbolic measure usually when sanctions are applied against a country they affect the poor people in that country more than the rudely new leads as we saw four years before the united states invaded iraq in two thousand and three they had imposed bloody sanctions regime which led to the loss of children's lives those medicines were prescribed now they're saying that these sanctions apply largely to. the parties functionaries where these people can still carry on i don't think they would be too affected it would be an irritation but nothing more killed very recently

president bashar assad's regime in the u.k. led the charge in pushing for a quicker response to the syrian crackdown and british foreign secretary william hague said he welcomes the sanctions but the battle weary britain is this looks all too familiar it's more than six weeks since sanctions on libya which adds to failure and the public has grown at the diplomatic dice against syria can only prompt a similar fate and see the mediterranean gunships sail east lower and it's arty. and pacing sanctions which have proven in a fish and in the past a more about grabbing power in the region than protecting civilians says chandan from the british civilians for peace in libya. the west would like the syrian regime like the libyan regime like with hizbollah and the palestinian resistance to disappear yesterday now achieving that is a whole different kettle of fish i think where the west is at now in this historical moment everyone knows that the uni polar world has finished saying it's a multi-pronged i world and the west is panicking abo

recently they would go she is on very friendly terms with bashar assad trying to get him away detach him from iran drag him towards their aid and then possibly even use him and the baathist regime in syria against iran world that his mouth all him by the way side. egypt's military leadership is not respecting human rights according to international law stocks even after the revolution to remove dictator hosni mubarak people are still reportedly being tortured by security services all of which is feeling concerned that the country and for the control of political radicals after all the reason why will barak was unpopular not just his own personality or even his family through huge economic problems in egypt with a rapidly growing population lots of unemployment and the religious issue take away mubarak and you don't really take away those problems of the power of the original government the generals of the pointedness to you know don't really possess a strategic regional free from where they want to go and so we're seeing radical groups and also just local disorder taking over if you

president bashar assad's regime the u.k. led the charge in pushing for a quicker response to the syrian crackdown and british foreign secretary william hague said he welcomes the sanctions but so battle weary looks all too familiar it's more than six weeks since sanctions on libya which adds to failure and the public role of the diplomatic dice against syria can only prompt just similar fates and see the mediterranean gunships sail east. but the sanctions are more about the struggle for world dominance in the protection of civilians according to some. called british civilians for peace. the west would like the syrian regime like the libyan regime like with hizbollah and the palestinian resistance to disappear yesterday now achieving that is a whole different kettle of fish i think where the west is now in this historical moment everyone knows that the uni polar world has finished singing for ninety polar world on the west is panicking about that they can't sit back and allow the bric nations of the global south just to rise

perhaps it's still possible to do business with bashar who is western educated. person educated wife as well so they see perhaps he might be the force of opera. in the country the e.u. says could be censored if he fails to stop the brutal crushing of opposition but he needn't worry the arab lawyers association says no one who's savvy would keep assets in their own names so thanks and toothless the u.s. and international community is being reduced from an international organization into a domestic release authority whereby you begin to freeze assets of individuals so those the individuals don't actually. anywhere but it's a gimmick which is being used in most of the instances and this. is counterproductive because it just make noises but it does not have any effect and i think it does describe it effective or not europeans of growing familiar with imposing sanctions but that was relatively easy to apply to libya which had long been suffering isolation even among arab states but syria has friends the west might be reluctant to provoke not only syria is you know ver

president bashar assad's regime the u.k. led the charge in pushing for a quick response to the syrian crackdown and british foreign secretary william hague said he welcomes the sanctions but to bucklebury. all too familiar it's more than six weeks since sanctions on libya which acts to failure and the public role at the diplomatic dice against syria can only prompts a similar fate and see the mediterranean gunships sail east here and it's r.t. . the director of the institute of islamic political thought made me earlier he told me sanctions and interventions only ever end up hurting people. i think we've seen the model in libya foreign intervention has only complicated things. intervention has not held a subtle problem in libya and i don't think it will help settle the problem in syria and we've seen sanctions there's a history of adopting sanctions in various places including iraq for many many years and only the only people suffered throughout the time when sanctions were imposed in syria it is still different from the need

is ramping up the pressure on syria with the secretary of state hillary clinton vying bashar al assad's government will be held accountable for the violence this comes on top of the economic sanctions from the european union many say the situation is mirroring now the build up to the military intervention in libya that is going to teach it can as more she joins us live from washington d.c. got a very good evening to you so more pressure is a mention from the u.s. today for some more flesh on the bones what more a way her. well kavin the u.s. secretary of state called the syrian government's reprisals brutal and said they were responsible for hundreds of deaths earlier clinton also said the u.s. is looking to raise international pressure on the syrian government although she stopped short of saying that bush assad has lost his legitimacy as a leader but a white house source said the obama administration is edging actually closer to declaring a solid rule in syria illegitimate now the source said it will be the first step what will be the second step or where those steps are leading is un

the arab league is afraid of bashar al assad. russia came down eventually on moammar gadhafi, but russia supports the al assad regime. alas, unfortunately, we have to say that the syrian regime still has assets and the opposition, driven by the sense of outrage, has its own power behind it. so i think you are going to see this standoff, and it will continue for a while, the regime on one side, and the people on the other, and the people are not afraid. >> professor ajami, arwa, thanks. we'll stay on top of this story. we promise you that. we will watch these heroes in the streets. thanks for helping us tonight. tell us what you think. we're on facebook or follow us on twitter @ac360. we'll be tweeting tonight. up next, where is sarah palin, and what's up with her bus tour? she says she's contemplating a presidential run. so is this part of it? >>> and later, new health information that could change the way you use your cell phone. is there a cancer connection? anderson talks with "360" m.d. sanjay gupta. first, though, let's chec

is going to impose sanctions on bashar assad which first time he's actually been personally targeted what's the what's the scenario what's the future if you see syria well i think i mean bono is the question we all have to ask syria a stalwart ally of the palestinian cause and of course russia has a base in live tartarus in syria and if you just look at syria's allies of the chavez of venezuela. the has been a movement in lebanon we know the united states wants to destabilize syria just as the european union does but the idea that the arab spring if that's what it turns out to be was a spring against those who were against us had you will it is absurd the arab spring if it is one is against us back pocket think pages and you all can say the brush or else is a us puppet dictator and when you say when you talk about the u.s. wanting to destabilize the region there and they say by syria the u.s. is also assad's regime to be declared declared illegitimate what does that have to do with washington what gives d.c. the right to make such a declaration. it's interesting i mean i've been in s

you spoke to the syrian government official and key aide of bashar assad.the right the of the people there. is there any sense that you got, tony, that the government is going to step back from the violence perp rated against the protesters? >> i think this is clearly the government is in survival mode. and they're willing to go as far as they need to to maintain power. remember this, is a family who ruled over syria for nearly 40 years. there's no indication that i got they were willing to compromise and if they do it only comes from a position of strength. we may see that in the weeks ahead. they feel they have the upper hand. again, the opposition is basically several dissidents, prominent dissidents within syria, there may be talks with them. clearly, we see the crackdown continue in the weeks ahead. and it could become very dangerous, given the events today where we start classes on the border. this may take turns that are not expected. >> what do you think the people of the arab world right now, those rising in countries from tunisia, on to syria and

the president tried to straddle a line, in a sense, calling for president bashar al assad of syria to take certain steps for reform and saying if he didn't take those he should then leave office. did you think that was well handled? and what did you think about that thrust of the speech? >> i liked the general thrust of the speech. but if you turn specifically the question of syria, i had some ambivalence about it, because he was back in that somewhat, i think, sermonizing tones that he uses, in my judgment, too often. "this must happen. this is unacceptable. this must be done." witht asking himself what exactly is it that we can do to make it happen. >> rose: well, let's... so let's focus on that. >> that bothered me a little bit. >> let's take that question. if you were advising president obama tonight, he said'm giving my speech, spig, what should i do next, and specifically what should i do about syria? a country that's on the edge of what could be a very violent cataclysm. how would you advise him? >> i would advise him to take stock of what we can do and in my judgment sanctions

the sanctions target syrian president bashar al assad and six other leaders. on wednesday, u.s. president barack obama ordered the sanctions, freezing any assets the syrian leaders have in the u.s. the obama administration has been cite sided for being lukewarm in its handling of syria so far. last month, the u.s. imposed sanctions on three syrian military and intelligence officials. also freezing their assets. they are accused of oppressing the protesters. president assad has since toughened his stance against opponents demanding his resignation. the united nations says 850 people have died since thepr pro-democracy protests intensified in march. >>> russian president dmitry medvedev says he will reveal his decision on whether to run for re-election in 2012. wednesday, medvedev held a news conference for international reports outside moscow for the first time since taking nofs 2008. asked about the presidential election next march, he said he'll decide with prime minister vladimir putin which of them will run for the post. >> translator: i will discuss with prime minister putin

there are basic principles on which bashar al-assad rules.ly, he does not have very much -- or any -- legitimacy based on reform. there are many people in washington that thought he did, many people that carry water for him in washington and said he was a reformer. his legitimacy is based on what? resistance to israel. is the way he consolidated his regime in 2006. the question is, how can a regime that has no legitimacy based on reform, as military deployed throughout the country, and the protesters are still coming out, how is that guy going to sign on the dotted line with israel? he can sign it, but how is he going to implement it? and kick the ryans out at the same time? and distance himself a -- the at the samet time? and distance himself from hezbollah? >> i did not say sign on the dotted line. i said open himself up -- >> i do not think it is possible for him at the moment. could he do it down the road? perhaps. but nobody is biting. >> just on that point, paid advertisement. i would urge you to look at an essay that the general and i

i want your reaction to what he said about president bashar al assad in damascus. he was pretty tough saying assad can lead that transition to democracy, if he will, or get out of the way. i think there are very few observers who believe he will actually lead a transition to democracy. but the president stopped short of saying that bashar al assad must do what mubarak in egypt did or gadhafi in libya is supposed to do, namely -- leave. what did you think of the way the president finessed the words on syria? >> wolf, that is the one part of the speech that i was a little puzzled by. because i think that we are clearly moving in the direction -- when i say "we," i mean u.s. foreign policy -- of calling for regime change in syria. i'm not sure why we are phasing it out over several weeks. because as you say, there's almost no prospect that assad will be part of a democratic transition. the syrian regime is a minority regime that rules over a majority that really do not want to be ruled by this tiny minority that they, by the way, that they regard mostly at heretics. t

it's not clear to us that we in the united states want bashar to go. there's a by that which turky and the united states... actually ed wan and president obama are working in tandem trying to figure out a soft transition in syria. because clearly syria is different than egypt and tunisia because the potential for a blood path is huge and without a visa picy there will be tens of thousands of syrians trying to cross into turkey and the turks are very, very worried about that. >> rose: andrew, talk about the idea of turkey and what might happen in syria with bashar, assad obviously being aggressive about trying to shut down the rebellion. >> well, i think the point about turkey is that it's there for the long term. these countries with which it has borders so when you say turkey is the big economy of this region and it's calculating on the long term so in the short term, yes, these are difficult countries to read. these difficult situations to make your marker and do you support assad now and will he be... turkey is no cleverer than any other country in

and unofficial statements i've been hearing from israeli leaders, they're looking at get ride of bashar aligned with hamas and iran, no matter what happens after him, probably would be better for israel. >> there's a huge argument going on, as there is in washington about what comes after this guy. when i was interviewing hillary clinton i asked would you be sad to see him disappear? she said it depends on what comes next. i think this is still the worry. there's a growing recognition that this guy is no good for manifold reasons. >>> a rare look inside a closed world. a strict islamic school poisoning young minds against the united states. >>> terror plots revealed including one targeting the brooklyn bridge. h-ah ♪ that's right. it runs flash. so unlike some tablets we could mention, you get the best of the internet - not just part of it. ♪ flash, aah-ah ♪ flash, aah-ah host: could switching to geico or more on car insurance? host: would foghleghorn make a really bad boonaor? foghn (stammerg): it was the best of time it was the wor - y worst of times. and by worst i'm talkin athat stu

. >> president bashar al-assad said some of the groups have made mistakes. human rights groups say 800 people have been killed over the last two months. the news agency says be a violent -- the violence in the area is being carried out by armed gangs. gunfire can be heard, most -- some people have been killed and injured. international journalist are not allowed in syria. the refugees insist that their story is correct. they are blaming the syrian army for the violence. they said they have no idea when they will be able to go back to their homes. >> for more on events unfolding, i am joined by a our next guest. he formerly served as the u.s. ambassador to moscow. we do not know exactly what happened in syria because we do not have foreign journalist there. we have seen enough stories like that one. why did it take the white house this song to impose sanctions? >> it is a very good question. it is the combination of the president's speech tomorrow on the middle east, and the blood being spilled and all of the syrian cities has ratcheted up calls for internati

that -- that includes asset freezes and travel bans including the brother of bashar al-assad. a video posted on social media sites reportedly shows protests in the capital, damascus. the secret police are said to be whisked away demonstrators in an unmarked van. other video shows tanks on the road. as the violence escalates, the un has called on syria to stop blocking a humanitarian mission to the country. thousands of volunteers and emergency crews are battling high waters along the mississippi, the biggest river in north america. the national weather service says the river has peaked in memphis, tenn., but warned of the situation remains critical for a least another 24 hours. states downstream are scrambling to secure lobbies as the flood crest rolls toward new orleans at the mouth of the mississippi river. it has swollen to six times its normal with in the worst flooding in decades. >> emergency workers are patrolling the flooded area in special and tibias vehicles. they're looking out for people who need to be rescued. the waters of the mississippi have involved some low-l

imposed sanctions on syrian president bashar assad for human rights abuses. and to hari sreenivasan for what's on the "newshour" online. hari? >> sreenivasan: we have a slideshow of the work of artist michael mcmillen. patchwork nation looks at the search for a g.o.p. frontrunner. our science unit reports on the runoff of pesticides and fertilizer into the gulf of mexico itself. and you can still submit your questions to the space shuttle crew and join us online tomorrow morning for a live interview with the astronauts. all that and more is on our web site: newshour.pbs.org. gwen? >> ifill: and that's the "newshour" for tonight. on thursday, we'll look at, president obama's speech on the political upheaval in the middle east. i'm gwen ifill. >> lehrer: and i'm jim lehrer. we'll see you online and again here tomorrow evening. thank you and good night. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> okay, listen. somebody has got to get serious. >> i think... >> we need renewable energy. >> ...renewable energy is vital to our planet. >> you hear abo

president obama yesterday said syrian president bashar al assad must allow dissent or step aside. >> he can lead that transition or get out of the way. >> reporter: syria isn't listening. president assad is fighting for his own survival. he has decided to crush the opposition, to silence the protesters. what you have seen today is basically a clear example of the strategy of the syrian government. >> reporter: hundreds of refugees have escaped syria, many entering lebanon. we have been imprisoned, banned from using our voices, our minds, our intellects. we have to have a little freedom, said a refugee. in homa today, security forces used tear gas to break up a protest. an activist tries to film him. when he's spotted, a soldier takes aim and fires, but misses. the united states has imposed sanctions, it has made strong statements, but it does not appear to be making much difference. david. >>> richard engle live for us in cairo. thanks very much. >>> dominique strauss-kahn has left his jail cell on bail, but he had to find another place to stay because the fancy manhattan apartment b

the international community's position is important because a weak position gives the impression to bashar al-assad that he is backed by the international community. they would like him to stay so they will look the other way if he suppresses the opposition. he interprets this as a carte blanch. this is like giving him a license to kill if you are hesitant on that. he has been sending all of these signals to increase the tension and frighten the international community. he sent tanks into deraa to give them the impression that this is like libya. he is fear mongering. the bottom line is that there is no going back. he has crossed the line. >> at least 8 people have died in a shooting in mexico. the authorities say that the government opened fire on a group of people on tuesday. police are still trying to find a motive for the killings. the highest court in guatemala have approved the divorce of the president and his wife the decision allows her to stand for election to be his successor. there is a constitutional ban on close president -- close relatives of the president running for office.

syrian president bashar assad said he's fighting an armed insurrection instigated from outside the country. the european unit has imposed an arms embargo on syria. and travel bans on some of its key officials, but outside pressure isn't working. the assad regime believes it's in a fight for its survival. human rights groups in syria, brian, say at least 18 people were killed today alone. >> richard, before you go, about libya, where you are, a lot of talk about gadhafi. nato says they're not trying to kill him, but they killed his son, they hit his house in that last raid. the problem is it's been a long time since we have seen moammar gadhafi alive. >> reporter: well, we have seen him, according to libyan state television tonight, the state television broadcast pictures without any date, showing gadhafi, apparently greeting tribal elders. he was wearing sunglasses. he expressed absolutely no emotion as he greeted the elders who seemed very unenthusiastic about the meeting. what's key to note is he wasn't outside. he was inside, in a building that appears to be a luxury hotel in tripoli. b