— from a White House statement issued Aug. 18, 2011, a year ago Saturday. Bashar Assad continues as Syria’s president, war crimes continue to be committed on both sides of the 17-month old conflict, more than 20,000 people have died, and the U.S. continues its exhortations from the sidelines.
“For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for President Assad to step aside.”
