U.S. President Barack Obama says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is "losing legitimacy in the eyes of his people," and has missed "opportunity after opportunity" to present genuine reforms.Mr. Obama told CBS News Tuesday the Syrian government has perpetrated what he called an "unacceptable degree of brutality" on peaceful demonstrators protesting Mr. Assad's authoritarian rule.
Syria has sharply criticized similar remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying her comments were "further evidence" of "blatant U.S. interference" in Syria's internal affairs.Clinton said Monday that Mr. Assad has "lost legitimacy" and is "not indispensable." She also said the U.S. has "nothing invested in him remaining in power."