From Lalit K Jha
Washington, May 19 (PTI) After President Barack Obama slapped sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Assad and his six deputies, the US appears to have given ultimatum to him to either leave or lead the transition to democracy, a senior Obama Administration officials has said.
"President Assad has a clear choice: its either lead this transition to democracy, or to leave," said a senior Administration official, requesting anonymity.
And this is the message that has been conveyed to the Assad regime, even though the Obama Administration has not gone public with this strong message, he said.
Assad himself, who was singled out for sanctions today, must put an end to the attacks on the protestors, the mass arrests and harassment of those who are demonstrating ? the activists, the scholars, the students, the journalists who are seeking to express their rights.