US calls for stepped up pressure on Syria’s Assad

“(Assad) has refused to reform, refused even to make any gesture towards reform other than empty rhetoric,” Mark Toner said, as Syria expanded its military crackdown on pro-democracy protests, killing at least 22 people.

“We will continue to look at ways we can up the pressure on him. What’s important here is that we make it clear to him that there’s growing pressure against his actions,” he told reporters.

Toner added that the Syrian leader must “allow the transition to take place or get out of the way.”